Food preparation worker pay in Lancaster, PA at a glance
Median salary
$31,580$15.19 per hour · $2,632 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Lancaster, PA after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Lancaster, PA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Lancaster, PA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (PA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $11.22/hr | $1,945 | $23,340 | $20,114 |
| 25th percentile | $13.58/hr | $2,354 | $28,250 | $24,007 |
| MedianMedian | $15.19/hr | $2,632 | $31,580 | $26,585 |
| 75th percentile | $16.80/hr | $2,912 | $34,940 | $29,182 |
| 90th percentile | $18.77/hr | $3,254 | $39,050 | $32,358 |
Is $31,580 a good salary in Lancaster, PA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in Pennsylvania and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Lancaster, PA: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lancaster, PA?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lancaster, PA metro area was $31,580 in May 2025, about $2,632 a month or $15.19 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $30,840, so the metro pays 2% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lancaster, PA?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lancaster, PA was $15.19 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.22 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.77.
How many food preparation workers work in Lancaster, PA?
BLS estimated 940 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.65 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lancaster, PA?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lancaster, PA run from $23,340 at the 10th percentile to $28,250 at the 25th, $34,940 at the 75th, and $39,050 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lancaster, PA?
On a median gross salary of $31,580, an estimated $26,585 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,023 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,995 (an effective rate of 15.8%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lancaster, PA?
On the median annual salary of $31,580, gross monthly income is $2,632. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,215 per month (or $1,023 every two weeks).
Is $31,580 a good salary in Lancaster, PA?
At $31,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 36.3% of the Lancaster, PA median household income ($86,959). It is 34% below the $48,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.3, so prices here run 1.7% below the U.S. average.