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Iowa City, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Iowa City, IA?

In the Iowa City, IA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,120 a year ($16.89 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 270 of these jobs there. That is 30% below the $50,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,370 and $44,990; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,716 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Iowa City, IA at a glance

Median salary

$35,120$16.89 per hour · $2,927 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,370$12.68/hr
25th percentile$30,190$14.51/hr
75th percentile$37,810$18.18/hr
90th percentile$44,990$21.63/hr
Jobs in this metro270Location quotient 0.50 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here30% belowAll-jobs median $50,060
Against Iowa16% aboveStatewide median $30,360
Against the U.S.1% belowNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in IowaFederal tax, FICA and Iowa withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Iowa publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Iowa.

Food preparation worker salary in Iowa City, IA after taxes

$35,120
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,120
Net 85%
Fed 6%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,716After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,476Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,143Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,034 / yr
Iowa state income tax$683 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,687 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Iowa City, IA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Iowa City, IA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Iowa City, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$12.68/hr$2,198$26,370$22,975
25th percentile$14.51/hr$2,516$30,190$25,942
MedianMedian$16.89/hr$2,927$35,120$29,716
75th percentile$18.18/hr$3,151$37,810$31,775
90th percentile$21.63/hr$3,749$44,990$37,272

Is $35,120 a good salary in Iowa City, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$75,088Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.58.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.8%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Food preparation workers pay in other Iowa metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Iowa City, IA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Iowa City, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Iowa City, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Iowa City, IA metro area was $35,120 in May 2025, about $2,927 a month or $16.89 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $30,360, so the metro pays 16% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Iowa City, IA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Iowa City, IA was $16.89 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.68 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.63.

How many food preparation workers work in Iowa City, IA?

BLS estimated 270 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 2.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.50 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Iowa City, IA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Iowa City, IA run from $26,370 at the 10th percentile to $30,190 at the 25th, $37,810 at the 75th, and $44,990 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Iowa City, IA?

On a median gross salary of $35,120, an estimated $29,716 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,143 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,404 (an effective rate of 15.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Iowa City, IA?

On the median annual salary of $35,120, gross monthly income is $2,927. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,476 per month (or $1,143 every two weeks).

Is $35,120 a good salary in Iowa City, IA?

At $35,120, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.8% of the Iowa City, IA median household income ($75,088). It is 30% below the $50,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.5, so prices here run 8.5% below the U.S. average.