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Missoula, MT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Missoula, MT?

In the Missoula, MT metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,020 a year ($16.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 380 of these jobs there. That is 27% below the $47,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,700 and $43,680; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Montana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,429 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Missoula, MT at a glance

Median salary

$35,020$16.84 per hour · $2,918 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,700$12.84/hr
25th percentile$29,130$14.01/hr
75th percentile$36,270$17.44/hr
90th percentile$43,680$21.00/hr
Jobs in this metro380Location quotient 0.99 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here27% belowAll-jobs median $47,830
Against Montana3% aboveStatewide median $33,860
Against the U.S.1% 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.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in MontanaFederal tax, FICA and Montana 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 Montana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Montana.

Food preparation worker salary in Missoula, MT after taxes

$35,020
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,020
Net 84%
Fed 6%
MT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,429After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,452Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,132Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,022 / yr
Montana state income tax$889 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,679 / yr
Customize deductions in full Montana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Missoula, MT, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Missoula, MT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MT)
10th percentile$12.84/hr$2,225$26,700$23,099
25th percentile$14.01/hr$2,428$29,130$24,974
MedianMedian$16.84/hr$2,918$35,020$29,429
75th percentile$17.44/hr$3,023$36,270$30,375
90th percentile$21.00/hr$3,640$43,680$35,981

Is $35,020 a good salary in Missoula, MT?

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$74,989Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.43.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.7%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 Montana metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Missoula, MT: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Missoula, MT?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Missoula, MT metro area was $35,020 in May 2025, about $2,918 a month or $16.84 an hour. Statewide, the Montana median for this job is $33,860, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Missoula, MT?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Missoula, MT was $16.84 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.84 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.00.

How many food preparation workers work in Missoula, MT?

BLS estimated 380 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.99 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Missoula, MT?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Missoula, MT run from $26,700 at the 10th percentile to $29,130 at the 25th, $36,270 at the 75th, and $43,680 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Missoula, MT?

On a median gross salary of $35,020, an estimated $29,429 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,132 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Montana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,591 (an effective rate of 16%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Missoula, MT?

On the median annual salary of $35,020, gross monthly income is $2,918. After federal, FICA, and Montana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,452 per month (or $1,132 every two weeks).

Is $35,020 a good salary in Missoula, MT?

At $35,020, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.7% of the Missoula, MT median household income ($74,989). It is 27% below the $47,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.4, so prices here run 3.6% below the U.S. average.