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Longview-Kelso, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Longview-Kelso, WA?

In the Longview-Kelso, WA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $38,460 a year ($18.49 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 260 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $57,420 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,000 and $47,020; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,083 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Longview-Kelso, WA at a glance

Median salary

$38,460$18.49 per hour · $3,205 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,000$16.83/hr
25th percentile$35,400$17.02/hr
75th percentile$40,850$19.64/hr
90th percentile$47,020$22.61/hr
Jobs in this metro260Location quotient 1.11 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $57,420
Against Washington6% belowStatewide median $40,910
Against the U.S.9% aboveNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $38,000 a year leaves after tax in WashingtonFederal tax, FICA and Washington withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $38,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $38,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Washington publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Washington.

Food preparation worker salary in Longview-Kelso, WA after taxes

$38,460
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,460
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,083After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,757Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,272Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,435 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,942 / yr
Customize deductions in full Washington calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Longview-Kelso, WA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Longview-Kelso, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.83/hr$2,917$35,000$30,303
25th percentile$17.02/hr$2,950$35,400$30,624
MedianMedian$18.49/hr$3,205$38,460$33,083
75th percentile$19.64/hr$3,404$40,850$35,003
90th percentile$22.61/hr$3,918$47,020$39,961

Is $38,460 a good salary in Longview-Kelso, WA?

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$76,531Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.52.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.3%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 Washington metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Longview-Kelso, WA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Longview-Kelso, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Longview-Kelso, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Longview-Kelso, WA metro area was $38,460 in May 2025, about $3,205 a month or $18.49 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $40,910, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Longview-Kelso, WA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Longview-Kelso, WA was $18.49 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.83 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.61.

How many food preparation workers work in Longview-Kelso, WA?

BLS estimated 260 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 Longview-Kelso, WA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Longview-Kelso, WA run from $35,000 at the 10th percentile to $35,400 at the 25th, $40,850 at the 75th, and $47,020 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Longview-Kelso, WA?

On a median gross salary of $38,460, an estimated $33,083 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,272 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,377 (an effective rate of 14%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Longview-Kelso, WA?

On the median annual salary of $38,460, gross monthly income is $3,205. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,757 per month (or $1,272 every two weeks).

Is $38,460 a good salary in Longview-Kelso, WA?

At $38,460, the median salary for food preparation workers is 50.3% of the Longview-Kelso, WA median household income ($76,531). It is 33% below the $57,420 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.5, so prices here run 2.5% below the U.S. average.