South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN?

In the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,970 a year ($14.41 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 760 of these jobs there. That is 36% below the $46,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $24,360 and $39,270; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,406 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN at a glance

Median salary

$29,970$14.41 per hour · $2,498 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$24,360$11.71/hr
25th percentile$27,870$13.40/hr
75th percentile$35,370$17.00/hr
90th percentile$39,270$18.88/hr
Jobs in this metro760Location quotient 1.01 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here36% belowAll-jobs median $46,540
Against Indiana1% aboveStatewide median $29,700
Against the U.S.15% 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN after taxes

$29,970
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,970
Net 85%
Fed 5%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,406After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,117Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$977Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,416 / yr
Indiana state income tax$855 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,293 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$11.71/hr$2,030$24,360$20,981
25th percentile$13.40/hr$2,323$27,870$23,768
MedianMedian$14.41/hr$2,498$29,970$25,406
75th percentile$17.00/hr$2,948$35,370$29,586
90th percentile$18.88/hr$3,273$39,270$32,604

Is $29,970 a good salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN?

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$67,217Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.97.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.6%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area was $29,970 in May 2025, about $2,498 a month or $14.41 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $29,700, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI was $14.41 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.71 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.88.

How many food preparation workers work in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

BLS estimated 760 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI run from $24,360 at the 10th percentile to $27,870 at the 25th, $35,370 at the 75th, and $39,270 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

On a median gross salary of $29,970, an estimated $25,406 lands in net take-home pay per year ($977 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,564 (an effective rate of 15.2%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

On the median annual salary of $29,970, gross monthly income is $2,498. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,117 per month (or $977 every two weeks).

Is $29,970 a good salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

At $29,970, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.6% of the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI median household income ($67,217). It is 36% below the $46,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.9, so prices here run 7.1% below the U.S. average.