Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Scranton-, PA?

In the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,210 a year ($14.05 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 940 of these jobs there. That is 37% below the $46,330 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,280 and $37,450; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,753 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Scranton-, PA at a glance

Median salary

$29,210$14.05 per hour · $2,434 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,280$10.71/hr
25th percentile$27,710$13.32/hr
75th percentile$34,400$16.54/hr
90th percentile$37,450$18.00/hr
Jobs in this metro940Location quotient 0.64 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here37% belowAll-jobs median $46,330
Against Pennsylvania5% belowStatewide median $30,840
Against the U.S.17% belowNational median $35,320

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Food preparation worker salary in Scranton-, PA after taxes

$29,210
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,210
Net 85%
Fed 5%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,753After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,063Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$952Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,325 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$897 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,235 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Scranton-, PA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$10.71/hr$1,857$22,280$19,274
25th percentile$13.32/hr$2,309$27,710$23,578
MedianMedian$14.05/hr$2,434$29,210$24,753
75th percentile$16.54/hr$2,867$34,400$28,764
90th percentile$18.00/hr$3,121$37,450$31,121

Is $29,210 a good salary in Scranton-, PA?

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$65,158Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.66.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.8%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Scranton-, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area was $29,210 in May 2025, about $2,434 a month or $14.05 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $30,840, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA was $14.05 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.71 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.00.

How many food preparation workers work in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

BLS estimated 940 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.64 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA run from $22,280 at the 10th percentile to $27,710 at the 25th, $34,400 at the 75th, and $37,450 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

On a median gross salary of $29,210, an estimated $24,753 lands in net take-home pay per year ($952 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,457 (an effective rate of 15.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

On the median annual salary of $29,210, gross monthly income is $2,434. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,063 per month (or $952 every two weeks).

Is $29,210 a good salary in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

At $29,210, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.8% of the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA median household income ($65,158). It is 37% below the $46,330 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.6, so prices here run 6.4% below the U.S. average.