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Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

In the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,500 a year ($14.18 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 420 of these jobs there. That is 40% below the $48,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,380 and $38,140; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,043 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN at a glance

Median salary

$29,500$14.18 per hour · $2,458 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,380$10.76/hr
25th percentile$26,850$12.91/hr
75th percentile$36,530$17.56/hr
90th percentile$38,140$18.34/hr
Jobs in this metro420Location quotient 0.71 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here40% belowAll-jobs median $48,780
Against Indiana1% belowStatewide median $29,700
Against the U.S.16% 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.

Take-home payWhat $29,000 a year leaves after tax in IndianaFederal tax, FICA and Indiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$14 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $29,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $29,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Indiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Indiana.

Food preparation worker salary in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN after taxes

$29,500
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,500
Net 85%
Fed 5%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,043After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,087Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$963Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,360 / yr
Indiana state income tax$841 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,257 / yr
Customize deductions in full Indiana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$10.76/hr$1,865$22,380$19,409
25th percentile$12.91/hr$2,238$26,850$22,958
MedianMedian$14.18/hr$2,458$29,500$25,043
75th percentile$17.56/hr$3,044$36,530$30,484
90th percentile$18.34/hr$3,178$38,140$31,730

Is $29,500 a good salary in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

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$62,011Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.46.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household47.6%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 Indiana metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area was $29,500 in May 2025, about $2,458 a month or $14.18 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $29,700, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN was $14.18 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.76 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.34.

How many food preparation workers work in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

BLS estimated 420 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN run from $22,380 at the 10th percentile to $26,850 at the 25th, $36,530 at the 75th, and $38,140 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-West Lafayette, IN?

On a median gross salary of $29,500, an estimated $25,043 lands in net take-home pay per year ($963 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,458 (an effective rate of 15.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

On the median annual salary of $29,500, gross monthly income is $2,458. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,087 per month (or $963 every two weeks).

Is $29,500 a good salary in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?

At $29,500, the median salary for food preparation workers is 47.6% of the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN median household income ($62,011). It is 40% below the $48,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.4, so prices here run 6.6% below the U.S. average.