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Lincoln, NE metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lincoln, NE?

In the Lincoln, NE metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,210 a year ($16.93 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,270 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $49,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,100 and $40,510; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Nebraska tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,749 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lincoln, NE at a glance

Median salary

$35,210$16.93 per hour · $2,934 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,100$13.99/hr
25th percentile$32,840$15.79/hr
75th percentile$36,970$17.77/hr
90th percentile$40,510$19.48/hr
Jobs in this metro1,270Location quotient 1.21 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $49,800
Against Nebraskaabout the same asStatewide median $35,210
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in NebraskaFederal tax, FICA and Nebraska withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Nebraska publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Nebraska.

Food preparation worker salary in Lincoln, NE after taxes

$35,210
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,210
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NE 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,749After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,479Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,144Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,045 / yr
Nebraska state income tax$723 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,694 / yr
Customize deductions in full Nebraska calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Lincoln, NE, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lincoln, NE metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NE)
10th percentile$13.99/hr$2,425$29,100$25,070
25th percentile$15.79/hr$2,737$32,840$27,944
MedianMedian$16.93/hr$2,934$35,210$29,749
75th percentile$17.77/hr$3,081$36,970$31,083
90th percentile$19.48/hr$3,376$40,510$33,766

Is $35,210 a good salary in Lincoln, NE?

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$75,049Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.68.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.9%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other Nebraska metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Lincoln, NE. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Lincoln, NE: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lincoln, NE?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lincoln, NE metro area was $35,210 in May 2025, about $2,934 a month or $16.93 an hour. Statewide, the Nebraska median for this job is $35,210, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lincoln, NE?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lincoln, NE was $16.93 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.99 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.48.

How many food preparation workers work in Lincoln, NE?

BLS estimated 1,270 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.21 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lincoln, NE?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lincoln, NE run from $29,100 at the 10th percentile to $32,840 at the 25th, $36,970 at the 75th, and $40,510 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lincoln, NE?

On a median gross salary of $35,210, an estimated $29,749 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,144 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Nebraska in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,461 (an effective rate of 15.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lincoln, NE?

On the median annual salary of $35,210, gross monthly income is $2,934. After federal, FICA, and Nebraska state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,479 per month (or $1,144 every two weeks).

Is $35,210 a good salary in Lincoln, NE?

At $35,210, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.9% of the Lincoln, NE median household income ($75,049). It is 29% below the $49,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.6, so prices here run 8.4% below the U.S. average.