Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Nashville-Davidson, TN?

In the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,640 a year ($16.65 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 6,410 of these jobs there. That is 31% below the $50,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $24,040 and $44,090; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,013 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Nashville-Davidson, TN at a glance

Median salary

$34,640$16.65 per hour · $2,887 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$24,040$11.56/hr
25th percentile$28,270$13.59/hr
75th percentile$39,000$18.75/hr
90th percentile$44,090$21.20/hr
Jobs in this metro6,410Location quotient 1.02 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $50,390
Against Tennessee21% aboveStatewide median $28,700
Against the U.S.2% belowNational 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Nashville-Davidson, TN after taxes

$34,640
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,640
Net 87%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,013After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,501Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,154Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,977 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,650 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Nashville-Davidson, TN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$11.56/hr$2,003$24,040$21,407
25th percentile$13.59/hr$2,356$28,270$24,890
MedianMedian$16.65/hr$2,887$34,640$30,013
75th percentile$18.75/hr$3,250$39,000$33,517
90th percentile$21.20/hr$3,674$44,090$37,606

Is $34,640 a good salary in Nashville-Davidson, TN?

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$85,447Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.33.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.5%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Nashville-Davidson, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area was $34,640 in May 2025, about $2,887 a month or $16.65 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $28,700, so the metro pays 21% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN was $16.65 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.56 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.20.

How many food preparation workers work in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

BLS estimated 6,410 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.02 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN run from $24,040 at the 10th percentile to $28,270 at the 25th, $39,000 at the 75th, and $44,090 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

On a median gross salary of $34,640, an estimated $30,013 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,154 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,627 (an effective rate of 13.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

On the median annual salary of $34,640, gross monthly income is $2,887. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,501 per month (or $1,154 every two weeks).

Is $34,640 a good salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

At $34,640, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.5% of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN median household income ($85,447). It is 31% below the $50,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.3, so prices here run 3.7% below the U.S. average.