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Ithaca, NY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Ithaca, NY?

In the Ithaca, NY metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,140 a year ($17.37 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 280 of these jobs there. That is 38% below the $58,130 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $32,240 and $46,490; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New York tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,864 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Ithaca, NY at a glance

Median salary

$36,140$17.37 per hour · $3,012 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$32,240$15.50/hr
25th percentile$33,590$16.15/hr
75th percentile$39,470$18.98/hr
90th percentile$46,490$22.35/hr
Jobs in this metro280Location quotient 1.00 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here38% belowAll-jobs median $58,130
Against New York1% aboveStatewide median $35,610
Against the U.S.2% aboveNational 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 $36,000 a year leaves after tax in New YorkFederal tax, FICA and New York 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 $36,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $36,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation New York publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about New York.

Food preparation worker salary in Ithaca, NY after taxes

$36,140
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,140
Net 83%
Fed 6%
NY 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,864After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,489Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,149Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,157 / yr
New York state income tax$1,355 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,765 / yr
Customize deductions in full New York calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Ithaca, NY, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Ithaca, NY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NY)
10th percentile$15.50/hr$2,687$32,240$26,940
25th percentile$16.15/hr$2,799$33,590$27,952
MedianMedian$17.37/hr$3,012$36,140$29,864
75th percentile$18.98/hr$3,289$39,470$32,359
90th percentile$22.35/hr$3,874$46,490$37,621

Is $36,140 a good salary in Ithaca, NY?

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$74,024Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.33.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.8%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 New York metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Ithaca, NY: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Ithaca, NY?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Ithaca, NY metro area was $36,140 in May 2025, about $3,012 a month or $17.37 an hour. Statewide, the New York median for this job is $35,610, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Ithaca, NY?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Ithaca, NY was $17.37 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.35.

How many food preparation workers work in Ithaca, NY?

BLS estimated 280 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.00 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Ithaca, NY?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Ithaca, NY run from $32,240 at the 10th percentile to $33,590 at the 25th, $39,470 at the 75th, and $46,490 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Ithaca, NY?

On a median gross salary of $36,140, an estimated $29,864 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,149 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New York in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,276 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Ithaca, NY?

On the median annual salary of $36,140, gross monthly income is $3,012. After federal, FICA, and New York state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,489 per month (or $1,149 every two weeks).

Is $36,140 a good salary in Ithaca, NY?

At $36,140, the median salary for food preparation workers is 48.8% of the Ithaca, NY median household income ($74,024). It is 38% below the $58,130 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.3, so prices here run 3.3% above the U.S. average.