EN

Language

Search
CostAnswer

Explore

Language

MethodologyAbout

Port St. Lucie, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Port St. Lucie, FL?

In the Port St. Lucie, FL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $37,000 a year ($17.79 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,590 of these jobs there. That is 20% below the $46,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,260 and $43,110; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,910 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Port St. Lucie, FL at a glance

Median salary

$37,000$17.79 per hour · $3,083 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,260$13.59/hr
25th percentile$32,380$15.57/hr
75th percentile$37,950$18.25/hr
90th percentile$43,110$20.72/hr
Jobs in this metro1,590Location quotient 1.62 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here20% belowAll-jobs median $46,490
Against Florida3% aboveStatewide median $35,920
Against the U.S.5% aboveNational 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 $37,000 a year leaves after tax in FloridaFederal tax, FICA and Florida withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $37,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $37,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Florida publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Florida.

Food preparation worker salary in Port St. Lucie, FL after taxes

$37,000
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,000
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,910After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,659Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,227Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,260 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,831 / yr
Customize deductions in full Florida calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Port St. Lucie, FL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Port St. Lucie, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$13.59/hr$2,355$28,260$24,882
25th percentile$15.57/hr$2,698$32,380$28,197
MedianMedian$17.79/hr$3,083$37,000$31,910
75th percentile$18.25/hr$3,163$37,950$32,673
90th percentile$20.72/hr$3,593$43,110$36,819

Is $37,000 a good salary in Port St. Lucie, 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$74,514Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.20.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household49.7%of area median income

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

Compare markets

Food preparation workers pay in other Florida metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Port St. Lucie, FL. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Port St. Lucie, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Port St. Lucie, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Port St. Lucie, FL metro area was $37,000 in May 2025, about $3,083 a month or $17.79 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $35,920, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Port St. Lucie, FL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Port St. Lucie, FL was $17.79 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.59 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.72.

How many food preparation workers work in Port St. Lucie, FL?

BLS estimated 1,590 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.62 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Port St. Lucie, FL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Port St. Lucie, FL run from $28,260 at the 10th percentile to $32,380 at the 25th, $37,950 at the 75th, and $43,110 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Port St. Lucie, FL?

On a median gross salary of $37,000, an estimated $31,910 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,227 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,091 (an effective rate of 13.8%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Port St. Lucie, FL?

On the median annual salary of $37,000, gross monthly income is $3,083. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,659 per month (or $1,227 every two weeks).

Is $37,000 a good salary in Port St. Lucie, FL?

At $37,000, the median salary for food preparation workers is 49.7% of the Port St. Lucie, FL median household income ($74,514). It is 20% below the $46,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.2, so prices here run 0.2% above the U.S. average.