Food preparation worker pay in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ at a glance
Median salary
$37,580$18.07 per hour · $3,132 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (AZ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $15.26/hr | $2,644 | $31,730 | $27,276 |
| 25th percentile | $16.64/hr | $2,883 | $34,600 | $29,510 |
| MedianMedian | $18.07/hr | $3,132 | $37,580 | $31,830 |
| 75th percentile | $19.87/hr | $3,443 | $41,320 | $34,741 |
| 90th percentile | $21.46/hr | $3,720 | $44,640 | $37,326 |
Is $37,580 a good salary in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in Arizona and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area was $37,580 in May 2025, about $3,132 a month or $18.07 an hour. Statewide, the Arizona median for this job is $36,750, so the metro pays 2% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ was $18.07 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.26 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.46.
How many food preparation workers work in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
BLS estimated 11,910 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.87 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ run from $31,730 at the 10th percentile to $34,600 at the 25th, $41,320 at the 75th, and $44,640 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
On a median gross salary of $37,580, an estimated $31,830 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,224 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arizona in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,750 (an effective rate of 15.3%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
On the median annual salary of $37,580, gross monthly income is $3,132. After federal, FICA, and Arizona state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,652 per month (or $1,224 every two weeks).
Is $37,580 a good salary in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
At $37,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 42.6% of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ median household income ($88,301). It is 27% below the $51,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.3, so prices here run 3.3% above the U.S. average.