Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,340 a year ($14.11 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 740 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $52,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,020 and $37,980; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,758 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lansing-East Lansing, MI at a glance

Median salary

$29,340$14.11 per hour · $2,445 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,020$12.51/hr
25th percentile$27,040$13.00/hr
75th percentile$35,640$17.13/hr
90th percentile$37,980$18.26/hr
Jobs in this metro740Location quotient 0.59 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $52,800
Against Michigan6% belowStatewide median $31,180
Against the U.S.17% 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI after taxes

$29,340
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,340
Net 84%
Fed 5%
MI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,758After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,063Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$952Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,341 / yr
Michigan state income tax$996 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,245 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Lansing-East Lansing, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.51/hr$2,168$26,020$22,182
25th percentile$13.00/hr$2,253$27,040$22,979
MedianMedian$14.11/hr$2,445$29,340$24,758
75th percentile$17.13/hr$2,970$35,640$29,553
90th percentile$18.26/hr$3,165$37,980$31,334

Is $29,340 a good salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

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$72,550Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.05% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.4%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Lansing-East Lansing, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area was $29,340 in May 2025, about $2,445 a month or $14.11 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $31,180, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI was $14.11 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.51 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.26.

How many food preparation workers work in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

BLS estimated 740 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.59 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI run from $26,020 at the 10th percentile to $27,040 at the 25th, $35,640 at the 75th, and $37,980 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

On a median gross salary of $29,340, an estimated $24,758 lands in net take-home pay per year ($952 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,582 (an effective rate of 15.6%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

On the median annual salary of $29,340, gross monthly income is $2,445. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,063 per month (or $952 every two weeks).

Is $29,340 a good salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

At $29,340, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.4% of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI median household income ($72,550). It is 44% below the $52,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.0, so prices here run 5% below the U.S. average.