Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

In the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,410 a year ($15.10 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 490 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $48,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,400 and $40,980; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,334 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI at a glance

Median salary

$31,410$15.10 per hour · $2,618 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,400$12.69/hr
25th percentile$26,900$12.93/hr
75th percentile$36,030$17.32/hr
90th percentile$40,980$19.70/hr
Jobs in this metro490Location quotient 0.71 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $48,510
Against Michigan1% aboveStatewide median $31,180
Against the U.S.11% belowNational median $35,320

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

Food preparation worker salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI after taxes

$31,410
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,410
Net 84%
Fed 5%
MI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,334After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,194Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,013Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,589 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,084 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,403 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.69/hr$2,200$26,400$22,479
25th percentile$12.93/hr$2,242$26,900$22,870
MedianMedian$15.10/hr$2,618$31,410$26,334
75th percentile$17.32/hr$3,003$36,030$29,850
90th percentile$19.70/hr$3,415$40,980$33,617

Is $31,410 a good salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

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$72,532Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)94.85.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.3%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area was $31,410 in May 2025, about $2,618 a month or $15.10 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $31,180, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI was $15.10 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.69 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.70.

How many food preparation workers work in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

BLS estimated 490 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.71 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI run from $26,400 at the 10th percentile to $26,900 at the 25th, $36,030 at the 75th, and $40,980 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

On a median gross salary of $31,410, an estimated $26,334 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,013 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,076 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

On the median annual salary of $31,410, gross monthly income is $2,618. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,194 per month (or $1,013 every two weeks).

Is $31,410 a good salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

At $31,410, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.3% of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI median household income ($72,532). It is 35% below the $48,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 94.8, so prices here run 5.2% below the U.S. average.