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New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

In the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $26,200 a year ($12.60 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 7,250 of these jobs there. That is 45% below the $47,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $18,490 and $36,210; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,786 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA at a glance

Median salary

$26,200$12.60 per hour · $2,183 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$18,490$8.89/hr
25th percentile$22,120$10.64/hr
75th percentile$29,990$14.42/hr
90th percentile$36,210$17.41/hr
Jobs in this metro7,250Location quotient 2.83 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here45% belowAll-jobs median $47,290
Against Louisiana11% aboveStatewide median $23,620
Against the U.S.26% 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.

Take-home payWhat $26,000 a year leaves after tax in LouisianaFederal tax, FICA and Louisiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$13 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $26,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $26,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Louisiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Louisiana.

Food preparation worker salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA after taxes

$26,200
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,200
Net 87%
Fed 4%
LA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,786After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,899Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$876Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,010 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$400 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,004 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in New Orleans-Metairie, LA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$8.89/hr$1,541$18,490$16,668
25th percentile$10.64/hr$1,843$22,120$19,548
MedianMedian$12.60/hr$2,183$26,200$22,786
75th percentile$14.42/hr$2,499$29,990$25,764
90th percentile$17.41/hr$3,018$36,210$30,575

Is $26,200 a good salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

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$62,655Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.67.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household41.8%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 Louisiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to New Orleans-Metairie, LA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area was $26,200 in May 2025, about $2,183 a month or $12.60 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $23,620, so the metro pays 11% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA was $12.60 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.89 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.41.

How many food preparation workers work in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

BLS estimated 7,250 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 16.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.83 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA run from $18,490 at the 10th percentile to $22,120 at the 25th, $29,990 at the 75th, and $36,210 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

On a median gross salary of $26,200, an estimated $22,786 lands in net take-home pay per year ($876 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,414 (an effective rate of 13%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

On the median annual salary of $26,200, gross monthly income is $2,183. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,899 per month (or $876 every two weeks).

Is $26,200 a good salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

At $26,200, the median salary for food preparation workers is 41.8% of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA median household income ($62,655). It is 45% below the $47,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.6, so prices here run 7.4% below the U.S. average.