Springfield, MO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Springfield, MO?

In the Springfield, MO metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,340 a year ($16.99 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,490 of these jobs there. That is 23% below the $45,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,600 and $49,620; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Missouri tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,855 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Springfield, MO at a glance

Median salary

$35,340$16.99 per hour · $2,945 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,600$13.75/hr
25th percentile$29,370$14.12/hr
75th percentile$49,620$23.86/hr
90th percentile$49,620$23.86/hr
Jobs in this metro1,490Location quotient 1.16 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here23% belowAll-jobs median $45,780
Against Missouri12% aboveStatewide median $31,510
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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 Springfield, MO after taxes

$35,340
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,340
Net 84%
Fed 6%
MO 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,855After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,488Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,148Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,061 / yr
Missouri state income tax$721 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,704 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Springfield, MO, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Springfield, MO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MO)
10th percentile$13.75/hr$2,383$28,600$24,747
25th percentile$14.12/hr$2,448$29,370$25,330
MedianMedian$16.99/hr$2,945$35,340$29,855
75th percentile$23.86/hr$4,135$49,620$40,678
90th percentile$23.86/hr$4,135$49,620$40,678

Is $35,340 a good salary in Springfield, MO?

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$65,071Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.611.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household54.3%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Springfield, MO: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Springfield, MO?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Springfield, MO metro area was $35,340 in May 2025, about $2,945 a month or $16.99 an hour. Statewide, the Missouri median for this job is $31,510, so the metro pays 12% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Springfield, MO?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Springfield, MO was $16.99 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.75 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.86.

How many food preparation workers work in Springfield, MO?

BLS estimated 1,490 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.16 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Springfield, MO?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Springfield, MO run from $28,600 at the 10th percentile to $29,370 at the 25th, $49,620 at the 75th, and $49,620 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Springfield, MO?

On a median gross salary of $35,340, an estimated $29,855 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,148 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Missouri in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,485 (an effective rate of 15.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Springfield, MO?

On the median annual salary of $35,340, gross monthly income is $2,945. After federal, FICA, and Missouri state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,488 per month (or $1,148 every two weeks).

Is $35,340 a good salary in Springfield, MO?

At $35,340, the median salary for food preparation workers is 54.3% of the Springfield, MO median household income ($65,071). It is 23% below the $45,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.6, so prices here run 11.4% below the U.S. average.