Reno, NV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Reno, NV?

In the Reno, NV metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $32,180 a year ($15.47 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,490 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $49,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,790 and $45,420; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Nevada tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,037 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Reno, NV at a glance

Median salary

$32,180$15.47 per hour · $2,682 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,790$12.40/hr
25th percentile$28,870$13.88/hr
75th percentile$38,730$18.62/hr
90th percentile$45,420$21.84/hr
Jobs in this metro1,490Location quotient 0.94 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $49,660
Against Nevada4% belowStatewide median $33,460
Against the U.S.9% 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 Reno, NV after taxes

$32,180
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$32,180
Net 87%
Fed 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,037After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,336Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,078Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,682 / yr
Nevada state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,462 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Reno, NV, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Reno, NV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NV)
10th percentile$12.40/hr$2,149$25,790$22,848
25th percentile$13.88/hr$2,406$28,870$25,377
MedianMedian$15.47/hr$2,682$32,180$28,037
75th percentile$18.62/hr$3,228$38,730$33,300
90th percentile$21.84/hr$3,785$45,420$38,675

Is $32,180 a good salary in Reno, NV?

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$87,485Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)101.01% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household36.8%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Reno, NV: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Reno, NV?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Reno, NV metro area was $32,180 in May 2025, about $2,682 a month or $15.47 an hour. Statewide, the Nevada median for this job is $33,460, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Reno, NV?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Reno, NV was $15.47 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.40 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.84.

How many food preparation workers work in Reno, NV?

BLS estimated 1,490 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.94 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Reno, NV?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Reno, NV run from $25,790 at the 10th percentile to $28,870 at the 25th, $38,730 at the 75th, and $45,420 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Reno, NV?

On a median gross salary of $32,180, an estimated $28,037 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,078 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Nevada in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,143 (an effective rate of 12.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Reno, NV?

On the median annual salary of $32,180, gross monthly income is $2,682. After federal, FICA, and Nevada state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,336 per month (or $1,078 every two weeks).

Is $32,180 a good salary in Reno, NV?

At $32,180, the median salary for food preparation workers is 36.8% of the Reno, NV median household income ($87,485). It is 35% below the $49,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 101.0, so prices here run 1% above the U.S. average.