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Rochester, NY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Rochester, NY?

In the Rochester, NY metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,020 a year ($16.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,870 of these jobs there. That is 32% below the $51,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $32,240 and $44,720; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New York tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,024 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Rochester, NY at a glance

Median salary

$35,020$16.84 per hour · $2,918 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$32,240$15.50/hr
25th percentile$32,240$15.50/hr
75th percentile$37,690$18.12/hr
90th percentile$44,720$21.50/hr
Jobs in this metro2,870Location quotient 1.01 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here32% belowAll-jobs median $51,210
Against New York2% belowStatewide median $35,610
Against the U.S.1% 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.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in New YorkFederal tax, FICA and New York withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation New York publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about New York.

Food preparation worker salary in Rochester, NY after taxes

$35,020
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,020
Net 83%
Fed 6%
NY 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,024After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,419Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,116Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,022 / yr
New York state income tax$1,294 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,679 / yr
Customize deductions in full New York calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Rochester, NY, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Rochester, NY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NY)
10th percentile$15.50/hr$2,687$32,240$26,940
25th percentile$15.50/hr$2,687$32,240$26,940
MedianMedian$16.84/hr$2,918$35,020$29,024
75th percentile$18.12/hr$3,141$37,690$31,025
90th percentile$21.50/hr$3,727$44,720$36,294

Is $35,020 a good salary in Rochester, NY?

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$76,284Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.03% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.9%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other New York metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Rochester, NY. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Rochester, NY: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Rochester, NY?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Rochester, NY metro area was $35,020 in May 2025, about $2,918 a month or $16.84 an hour. Statewide, the New York median for this job is $35,610, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Rochester, NY?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Rochester, NY was $16.84 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.50.

How many food preparation workers work in Rochester, NY?

BLS estimated 2,870 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.01 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Rochester, NY?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Rochester, NY run from $32,240 at the 10th percentile to $32,240 at the 25th, $37,690 at the 75th, and $44,720 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Rochester, NY?

On a median gross salary of $35,020, an estimated $29,024 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,116 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New York in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,996 (an effective rate of 17.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Rochester, NY?

On the median annual salary of $35,020, gross monthly income is $2,918. After federal, FICA, and New York state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,419 per month (or $1,116 every two weeks).

Is $35,020 a good salary in Rochester, NY?

At $35,020, the median salary for food preparation workers is 45.9% of the Rochester, NY median household income ($76,284). It is 32% below the $51,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.0, so prices here run 3% below the U.S. average.