Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Olympia-Lacey, WA?

In the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $37,950 a year ($18.25 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 680 of these jobs there. That is 39% below the $61,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,770 and $48,390; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,673 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Olympia-Lacey, WA at a glance

Median salary

$37,950$18.25 per hour · $3,163 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,770$16.72/hr
25th percentile$35,400$17.02/hr
75th percentile$45,690$21.97/hr
90th percentile$48,390$23.26/hr
Jobs in this metro680Location quotient 0.90 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here39% belowAll-jobs median $61,960
Against Washington7% belowStatewide median $40,910
Against the U.S.7% aboveNational 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Olympia-Lacey, WA after taxes

$37,950
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,950
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,673After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,723Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,257Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,374 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,903 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Olympia-Lacey, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.72/hr$2,898$34,770$30,118
25th percentile$17.02/hr$2,950$35,400$30,624
MedianMedian$18.25/hr$3,163$37,950$32,673
75th percentile$21.97/hr$3,808$45,690$38,892
90th percentile$23.26/hr$4,033$48,390$41,061

Is $37,950 a good salary in Olympia-Lacey, WA?

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$96,563Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.73.7% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.3%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Olympia-Lacey, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area was $37,950 in May 2025, about $3,163 a month or $18.25 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $40,910, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA was $18.25 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.72 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.26.

How many food preparation workers work in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

BLS estimated 680 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.90 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA run from $34,770 at the 10th percentile to $35,400 at the 25th, $45,690 at the 75th, and $48,390 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

On a median gross salary of $37,950, an estimated $32,673 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,257 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,277 (an effective rate of 13.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

On the median annual salary of $37,950, gross monthly income is $3,163. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,723 per month (or $1,257 every two weeks).

Is $37,950 a good salary in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

At $37,950, the median salary for food preparation workers is 39.3% of the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA median household income ($96,563). It is 39% below the $61,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.7, so prices here run 3.7% above the U.S. average.