Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,610 a year ($16.64 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,930 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $46,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,040 and $38,200; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,989 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL at a glance

Median salary

$34,610$16.64 per hour · $2,884 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,040$13.00/hr
25th percentile$29,440$14.16/hr
75th percentile$36,300$17.45/hr
90th percentile$38,200$18.36/hr
Jobs in this metro1,930Location quotient 1.26 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $46,140
Against Florida4% belowStatewide median $35,920
Against the U.S.2% 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL after taxes

$34,610
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,610
Net 87%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,989After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,499Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,153Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,973 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,648 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$13.00/hr$2,253$27,040$23,877
25th percentile$14.16/hr$2,453$29,440$25,835
MedianMedian$16.64/hr$2,884$34,610$29,989
75th percentile$17.45/hr$3,025$36,300$31,347
90th percentile$18.36/hr$3,183$38,200$32,874

Is $34,610 a good salary in Lakeland-Winter Haven, 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$65,978Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.12.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.5%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area was $34,610 in May 2025, about $2,884 a month or $16.64 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $35,920, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL was $16.64 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.36.

How many food preparation workers work in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

BLS estimated 1,930 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.26 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL run from $27,040 at the 10th percentile to $29,440 at the 25th, $36,300 at the 75th, and $38,200 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

On a median gross salary of $34,610, an estimated $29,989 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,153 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,621 (an effective rate of 13.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

On the median annual salary of $34,610, gross monthly income is $2,884. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,499 per month (or $1,153 every two weeks).

Is $34,610 a good salary in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

At $34,610, the median salary for food preparation workers is 52.5% of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL median household income ($65,978). It is 25% below the $46,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.1, so prices here run 2.9% below the U.S. average.