Killeen-Temple, TX metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Killeen-Temple, TX?

In the Killeen-Temple, TX metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $30,300 a year ($14.57 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 910 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $46,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,010 and $38,700; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Texas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,526 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Killeen-Temple, TX at a glance

Median salary

$30,300$14.57 per hour · $2,525 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,010$10.58/hr
25th percentile$26,270$12.63/hr
75th percentile$37,080$17.83/hr
90th percentile$38,700$18.60/hr
Jobs in this metro910Location quotient 1.06 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $46,660
Against Texas1% belowStatewide median $30,650
Against the U.S.14% 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 Killeen-Temple, TX after taxes

$30,300
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,300
Net 88%
Fed 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,526After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,211Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,020Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,456 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,318 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Killeen-Temple, TX, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Killeen-Temple, TX metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TX)
10th percentile$10.58/hr$1,834$22,010$19,735
25th percentile$12.63/hr$2,189$26,270$23,243
MedianMedian$14.57/hr$2,525$30,300$26,526
75th percentile$17.83/hr$3,090$37,080$31,974
90th percentile$18.60/hr$3,225$38,700$33,275

Is $30,300 a good salary in Killeen-Temple, TX?

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$69,923Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.18.9% 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 Killeen-Temple, TX: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Killeen-Temple, TX?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Killeen-Temple, TX metro area was $30,300 in May 2025, about $2,525 a month or $14.57 an hour. Statewide, the Texas median for this job is $30,650, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Killeen-Temple, TX?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Killeen-Temple, TX was $14.57 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.58 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.60.

How many food preparation workers work in Killeen-Temple, TX?

BLS estimated 910 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.06 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Killeen-Temple, TX?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Killeen-Temple, TX run from $22,010 at the 10th percentile to $26,270 at the 25th, $37,080 at the 75th, and $38,700 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Killeen-Temple, TX?

On a median gross salary of $30,300, an estimated $26,526 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,020 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Texas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,774 (an effective rate of 12.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Killeen-Temple, TX?

On the median annual salary of $30,300, gross monthly income is $2,525. After federal, FICA, and Texas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,211 per month (or $1,020 every two weeks).

Is $30,300 a good salary in Killeen-Temple, TX?

At $30,300, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.3% of the Killeen-Temple, TX median household income ($69,923). It is 35% below the $46,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.1, so prices here run 8.9% below the U.S. average.