Ocala, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Ocala, FL?

In the Ocala, FL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,560 a year ($16.61 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 960 of these jobs there. That is 21% below the $43,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,040 and $39,140; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,949 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Ocala, FL at a glance

Median salary

$34,560$16.61 per hour · $2,880 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,040$13.00/hr
25th percentile$29,620$14.24/hr
75th percentile$36,520$17.56/hr
90th percentile$39,140$18.82/hr
Jobs in this metro960Location quotient 1.39 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here21% belowAll-jobs median $43,990
Against Florida4% belowStatewide median $35,920
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 Ocala, FL after taxes

$34,560
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,560
Net 87%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,949After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,496Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,152Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,967 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,644 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Ocala, FL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Ocala, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$13.00/hr$2,253$27,040$23,877
25th percentile$14.24/hr$2,468$29,620$25,980
MedianMedian$16.61/hr$2,880$34,560$29,949
75th percentile$17.56/hr$3,043$36,520$31,524
90th percentile$18.82/hr$3,262$39,140$33,629

Is $34,560 a good salary in Ocala, FL?

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$61,010Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.24.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household56.6%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Ocala, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Ocala, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Ocala, FL metro area was $34,560 in May 2025, about $2,880 a month or $16.61 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $35,920, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Ocala, FL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Ocala, FL was $16.61 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.82.

How many food preparation workers work in Ocala, FL?

BLS estimated 960 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.39 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Ocala, FL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Ocala, FL run from $27,040 at the 10th percentile to $29,620 at the 25th, $36,520 at the 75th, and $39,140 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Ocala, FL?

On a median gross salary of $34,560, an estimated $29,949 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,152 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,611 (an effective rate of 13.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Ocala, FL?

On the median annual salary of $34,560, gross monthly income is $2,880. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,496 per month (or $1,152 every two weeks).

Is $34,560 a good salary in Ocala, FL?

At $34,560, the median salary for food preparation workers is 56.6% of the Ocala, FL median household income ($61,010). It is 21% below the $43,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.2, so prices here run 4.8% below the U.S. average.