Richmond, VA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Richmond, VA?

In the Richmond, VA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $33,650 a year ($16.18 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,890 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $51,460 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,210 and $38,390; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,097 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Richmond, VA at a glance

Median salary

$33,650$16.18 per hour · $2,804 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,210$14.05/hr
25th percentile$31,200$15.00/hr
75th percentile$36,120$17.37/hr
90th percentile$38,390$18.46/hr
Jobs in this metro2,890Location quotient 0.76 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $51,460
Against Virginia4% belowStatewide median $34,900
Against the U.S.5% 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 Richmond, VA after taxes

$33,650
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$33,650
Net 83%
Fed 6%
VA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,097After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,341Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,081Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,858 / yr
Virginia state income tax$1,121 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,574 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Richmond, VA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Richmond, VA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (VA)
10th percentile$14.05/hr$2,434$29,210$24,785
25th percentile$15.00/hr$2,600$31,200$26,269
MedianMedian$16.18/hr$2,804$33,650$28,097
75th percentile$17.37/hr$3,010$36,120$29,940
90th percentile$18.46/hr$3,199$38,390$31,633

Is $33,650 a good salary in Richmond, VA?

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$86,679Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.92.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household38.8%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Richmond, VA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Richmond, VA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Richmond, VA metro area was $33,650 in May 2025, about $2,804 a month or $16.18 an hour. Statewide, the Virginia median for this job is $34,900, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Richmond, VA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Richmond, VA was $16.18 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.05 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.46.

How many food preparation workers work in Richmond, VA?

BLS estimated 2,890 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.76 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Richmond, VA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Richmond, VA run from $29,210 at the 10th percentile to $31,200 at the 25th, $36,120 at the 75th, and $38,390 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Richmond, VA?

On a median gross salary of $33,650, an estimated $28,097 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,081 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,553 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Richmond, VA?

On the median annual salary of $33,650, gross monthly income is $2,804. After federal, FICA, and Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,341 per month (or $1,081 every two weeks).

Is $33,650 a good salary in Richmond, VA?

At $33,650, the median salary for food preparation workers is 38.8% of the Richmond, VA median household income ($86,679). It is 35% below the $51,460 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.9, so prices here run 2.1% below the U.S. average.