Laredo, TX metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Laredo, TX?

In the Laredo, TX metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $27,780 a year ($13.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 700 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $37,250 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,630 and $38,620; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Texas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,487 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Laredo, TX at a glance

Median salary

$27,780$13.36 per hour · $2,315 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,630$9.92/hr
25th percentile$22,690$10.91/hr
75th percentile$36,680$17.63/hr
90th percentile$38,620$18.57/hr
Jobs in this metro700Location quotient 1.11 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $37,250
Against Texas9% belowStatewide median $30,650
Against the U.S.21% 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 Laredo, TX after taxes

$27,780
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,780
Net 88%
Fed 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,487After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,041Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$942Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate11.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,168 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,125 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Laredo, TX, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Laredo, TX metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TX)
10th percentile$9.92/hr$1,719$20,630$18,599
25th percentile$10.91/hr$1,891$22,690$20,295
MedianMedian$13.36/hr$2,315$27,780$24,487
75th percentile$17.63/hr$3,057$36,680$31,652
90th percentile$18.57/hr$3,218$38,620$33,211

Is $27,780 a good salary in Laredo, TX?

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$63,058Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.013% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.1%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Laredo, TX: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Laredo, TX?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Laredo, TX metro area was $27,780 in May 2025, about $2,315 a month or $13.36 an hour. Statewide, the Texas median for this job is $30,650, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Laredo, TX?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Laredo, TX was $13.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.92 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.57.

How many food preparation workers work in Laredo, TX?

BLS estimated 700 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.11 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Laredo, TX?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Laredo, TX run from $20,630 at the 10th percentile to $22,690 at the 25th, $36,680 at the 75th, and $38,620 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Laredo, TX?

On a median gross salary of $27,780, an estimated $24,487 lands in net take-home pay per year ($942 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Texas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,293 (an effective rate of 11.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Laredo, TX?

On the median annual salary of $27,780, gross monthly income is $2,315. After federal, FICA, and Texas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,041 per month (or $942 every two weeks).

Is $27,780 a good salary in Laredo, TX?

At $27,780, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.1% of the Laredo, TX median household income ($63,058). It is 25% below the $37,250 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.0, so prices here run 13% below the U.S. average.