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Jacksonville, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Jacksonville, FL?

In the Jacksonville, FL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,730 a year ($17.66 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,630 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $48,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,190 and $42,820; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,693 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Jacksonville, FL at a glance

Median salary

$36,730$17.66 per hour · $3,061 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,190$13.55/hr
25th percentile$31,210$15.00/hr
75th percentile$37,500$18.03/hr
90th percentile$42,820$20.59/hr
Jobs in this metro4,630Location quotient 1.05 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $48,830
Against Florida2% aboveStatewide median $35,920
Against the U.S.4% 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 $37,000 a year leaves after tax in FloridaFederal tax, FICA and Florida withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $37,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $37,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Florida publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Florida.

Food preparation worker salary in Jacksonville, FL after taxes

$36,730
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,730
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,693After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,641Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,219Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,228 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,810 / yr
Customize deductions in full Florida calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Jacksonville, FL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Jacksonville, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$13.55/hr$2,349$28,190$24,824
25th percentile$15.00/hr$2,601$31,210$27,257
MedianMedian$17.66/hr$3,061$36,730$31,693
75th percentile$18.03/hr$3,125$37,500$32,311
90th percentile$20.59/hr$3,568$42,820$36,586

Is $36,730 a good salary in Jacksonville, FL?

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$79,643Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)99.50.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.1%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 Florida metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Jacksonville, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Jacksonville, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Jacksonville, FL metro area was $36,730 in May 2025, about $3,061 a month or $17.66 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $35,920, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Jacksonville, FL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Jacksonville, FL was $17.66 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.55 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.59.

How many food preparation workers work in Jacksonville, FL?

BLS estimated 4,630 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.05 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Jacksonville, FL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Jacksonville, FL run from $28,190 at the 10th percentile to $31,210 at the 25th, $37,500 at the 75th, and $42,820 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Jacksonville, FL?

On a median gross salary of $36,730, an estimated $31,693 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,219 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,037 (an effective rate of 13.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Jacksonville, FL?

On the median annual salary of $36,730, gross monthly income is $3,061. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,641 per month (or $1,219 every two weeks).

Is $36,730 a good salary in Jacksonville, FL?

At $36,730, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.1% of the Jacksonville, FL median household income ($79,643). It is 25% below the $48,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 99.5, so prices here run 0.5% below the U.S. average.