Lawrence, KS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lawrence, KS?

In the Lawrence, KS metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,350 a year ($15.07 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 350 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $47,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,130 and $38,630; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,403 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lawrence, KS at a glance

Median salary

$31,350$15.07 per hour · $2,613 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,130$10.64/hr
25th percentile$27,750$13.34/hr
75th percentile$34,980$16.82/hr
90th percentile$38,630$18.57/hr
Jobs in this metro350Location quotient 1.19 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $47,390
Against Kansas4% aboveStatewide median $30,280
Against the U.S.11% 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 Lawrence, KS after taxes

$31,350
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,350
Net 84%
Fed 5%
KS 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,403After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,200Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,016Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,582 / yr
Kansas state income tax$966 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,398 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Lawrence, KS, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lawrence, KS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KS)
10th percentile$10.64/hr$1,844$22,130$19,347
25th percentile$13.34/hr$2,313$27,750$23,683
MedianMedian$15.07/hr$2,613$31,350$26,403
75th percentile$16.82/hr$2,915$34,980$29,131
90th percentile$18.57/hr$3,219$38,630$31,863

Is $31,350 a good salary in Lawrence, KS?

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$69,746Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.29.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.9%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Lawrence, KS: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lawrence, KS?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lawrence, KS metro area was $31,350 in May 2025, about $2,613 a month or $15.07 an hour. Statewide, the Kansas median for this job is $30,280, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lawrence, KS?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lawrence, KS was $15.07 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.64 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.57.

How many food preparation workers work in Lawrence, KS?

BLS estimated 350 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.19 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lawrence, KS?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lawrence, KS run from $22,130 at the 10th percentile to $27,750 at the 25th, $34,980 at the 75th, and $38,630 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lawrence, KS?

On a median gross salary of $31,350, an estimated $26,403 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,016 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,947 (an effective rate of 15.8%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lawrence, KS?

On the median annual salary of $31,350, gross monthly income is $2,613. After federal, FICA, and Kansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,200 per month (or $1,016 every two weeks).

Is $31,350 a good salary in Lawrence, KS?

At $31,350, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.9% of the Lawrence, KS median household income ($69,746). It is 34% below the $47,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.2, so prices here run 9.8% below the U.S. average.