Food preparation worker pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI at a glance
Median salary
$35,470$17.05 per hour · $2,956 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (WI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.58/hr | $2,354 | $28,250 | $24,364 |
| 25th percentile | $14.57/hr | $2,526 | $30,310 | $25,928 |
| MedianMedian | $17.05/hr | $2,956 | $35,470 | $29,819 |
| 75th percentile | $18.54/hr | $3,213 | $38,560 | $32,150 |
| 90th percentile | $21.12/hr | $3,660 | $43,920 | $36,193 |
Is $35,470 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in Wisconsin and across the U.S.
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Food preparation worker pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area was $35,470 in May 2025, about $2,956 a month or $17.05 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $34,070, so the metro pays 4% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI was $17.05 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.58 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.12.
How many food preparation workers work in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
BLS estimated 4,500 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.95 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI run from $28,250 at the 10th percentile to $30,310 at the 25th, $38,560 at the 75th, and $43,920 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
On a median gross salary of $35,470, an estimated $29,819 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,147 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,651 (an effective rate of 15.9%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
On the median annual salary of $35,470, gross monthly income is $2,956. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,485 per month (or $1,147 every two weeks).
Is $35,470 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
At $35,470, the median salary for food preparation workers is 45.3% of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI median household income ($78,218). It is 31% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.