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Lafayette, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lafayette, LA?

In the Lafayette, LA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $22,920 a year ($11.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,260 of these jobs there. That is 45% below the $41,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $17,380 and $30,840; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $20,183 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lafayette, LA at a glance

Median salary

$22,920$11.02 per hour · $1,910 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$17,380$8.36/hr
25th percentile$21,140$10.16/hr
75th percentile$28,420$13.66/hr
90th percentile$30,840$14.83/hr
Jobs in this metro3,260Location quotient 3.16 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here45% belowAll-jobs median $41,780
Against Louisiana3% belowStatewide median $23,620
Against the U.S.35% 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 $23,000 a year leaves after tax in LouisianaFederal tax, FICA and Louisiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$11 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $23,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $23,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Louisiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Louisiana.

Food preparation worker salary in Lafayette, LA after taxes

$22,920
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$22,920
Net 88%
Fed 3%
LA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$20,183After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,682Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$776Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate11.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$682 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$301 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,753 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Lafayette, LA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lafayette, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$8.36/hr$1,448$17,380$15,787
25th percentile$10.16/hr$1,762$21,140$18,771
MedianMedian$11.02/hr$1,910$22,920$20,183
75th percentile$13.66/hr$2,368$28,420$24,548
90th percentile$14.83/hr$2,570$30,840$26,421

Is $22,920 a good salary in Lafayette, LA?

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$60,892Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.212.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.6%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 Louisiana metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Lafayette, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lafayette, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lafayette, LA metro area was $22,920 in May 2025, about $1,910 a month or $11.02 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $23,620, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lafayette, LA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lafayette, LA was $11.02 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.36 an hour and one in ten earned more than $14.83.

How many food preparation workers work in Lafayette, LA?

BLS estimated 3,260 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 18.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 3.16 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lafayette, LA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lafayette, LA run from $17,380 at the 10th percentile to $21,140 at the 25th, $28,420 at the 75th, and $30,840 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lafayette, LA?

On a median gross salary of $22,920, an estimated $20,183 lands in net take-home pay per year ($776 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $2,737 (an effective rate of 11.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lafayette, LA?

On the median annual salary of $22,920, gross monthly income is $1,910. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,682 per month (or $776 every two weeks).

Is $22,920 a good salary in Lafayette, LA?

At $22,920, the median salary for food preparation workers is 37.6% of the Lafayette, LA median household income ($60,892). It is 45% below the $41,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.2, so prices here run 12.8% below the U.S. average.