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Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

In the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,360 a year ($17.48 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,310 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $54,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,650 and $45,870; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,395 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA at a glance

Median salary

$36,360$17.48 per hour · $3,030 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,650$16.66/hr
25th percentile$34,780$16.72/hr
75th percentile$40,820$19.62/hr
90th percentile$45,870$22.05/hr
Jobs in this metro1,310Location quotient 0.89 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $54,660
Against Washington11% belowStatewide median $40,910
Against the U.S.3% aboveNational 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 $36,000 a year leaves after tax in WashingtonFederal tax, FICA and Washington 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 $36,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $36,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Washington publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Washington.

Food preparation worker salary in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA after taxes

$36,360
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,360
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,395After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,616Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,208Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,183 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,782 / yr
Customize deductions in full Washington calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.66/hr$2,888$34,650$30,021
25th percentile$16.72/hr$2,898$34,780$30,126
MedianMedian$17.48/hr$3,030$36,360$31,395
75th percentile$19.62/hr$3,402$40,820$34,979
90th percentile$22.05/hr$3,823$45,870$39,037

Is $36,360 a good salary in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

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$77,488Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.30.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.9%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 Washington metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area was $36,360 in May 2025, about $3,030 a month or $17.48 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $40,910, so the metro pays 11% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA was $17.48 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.66 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.05.

How many food preparation workers work in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

BLS estimated 1,310 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.89 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA run from $34,650 at the 10th percentile to $34,780 at the 25th, $40,820 at the 75th, and $45,870 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

On a median gross salary of $36,360, an estimated $31,395 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,208 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,965 (an effective rate of 13.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

On the median annual salary of $36,360, gross monthly income is $3,030. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,616 per month (or $1,208 every two weeks).

Is $36,360 a good salary in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

At $36,360, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.9% of the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA median household income ($77,488). It is 33% below the $54,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.3, so prices here run 0.3% above the U.S. average.