Pueblo, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Pueblo, CO?

In the Pueblo, CO metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,620 a year ($17.13 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 260 of these jobs there. That is 27% below the $48,940 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,800 and $45,180; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,942 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Pueblo, CO at a glance

Median salary

$35,620$17.13 per hour · $2,968 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,800$14.81/hr
25th percentile$30,900$14.86/hr
75th percentile$38,900$18.70/hr
90th percentile$45,180$21.72/hr
Jobs in this metro260Location quotient 0.74 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here27% belowAll-jobs median $48,940
Against Colorado9% belowStatewide median $38,960
Against the U.S.1% 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Pueblo, CO after taxes

$35,620
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,620
Net 84%
Fed 6%
CO 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,942After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,495Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,152Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,094 / yr
Colorado state income tax$859 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,725 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Pueblo, CO, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Pueblo, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$14.81/hr$2,567$30,800$26,281
25th percentile$14.86/hr$2,575$30,900$26,357
MedianMedian$17.13/hr$2,968$35,620$29,942
75th percentile$18.70/hr$3,242$38,900$32,433
90th percentile$21.72/hr$3,765$45,180$37,203

Is $35,620 a good salary in Pueblo, CO?

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$64,010Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.88.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household55.6%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Pueblo, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Pueblo, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Pueblo, CO metro area was $35,620 in May 2025, about $2,968 a month or $17.13 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $38,960, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Pueblo, CO?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Pueblo, CO was $17.13 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.72.

How many food preparation workers work in Pueblo, CO?

BLS estimated 260 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.74 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Pueblo, CO?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Pueblo, CO run from $30,800 at the 10th percentile to $30,900 at the 25th, $38,900 at the 75th, and $45,180 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Pueblo, CO?

On a median gross salary of $35,620, an estimated $29,942 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,152 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,678 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Pueblo, CO?

On the median annual salary of $35,620, gross monthly income is $2,968. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,495 per month (or $1,152 every two weeks).

Is $35,620 a good salary in Pueblo, CO?

At $35,620, the median salary for food preparation workers is 55.6% of the Pueblo, CO median household income ($64,010). It is 27% below the $48,940 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.8, so prices here run 8.2% below the U.S. average.