Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

In the Stockton-Lodi, CA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $37,550 a year ($18.05 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,470 of these jobs there. That is 23% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,560 and $47,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,867 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Stockton-Lodi, CA at a glance

Median salary

$37,550$18.05 per hour · $3,129 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,560$16.62/hr
25th percentile$36,030$17.32/hr
75th percentile$43,680$21.00/hr
90th percentile$47,370$22.77/hr
Jobs in this metro1,470Location quotient 0.88 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here23% belowAll-jobs median $48,990
Against California5% belowStatewide median $39,350
Against the U.S.6% 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Stockton-Lodi, CA after taxes

$37,550
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,550
Net 85%
Fed 6%
CA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,867After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,656Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,226Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,326 / yr
California state income tax$485 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,873 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Stockton-Lodi, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$16.62/hr$2,880$34,560$29,584
25th percentile$17.32/hr$3,003$36,030$30,706
MedianMedian$18.05/hr$3,129$37,550$31,867
75th percentile$21.00/hr$3,640$43,680$36,547
90th percentile$22.77/hr$3,948$47,370$39,360

Is $37,550 a good salary in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

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$92,179Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)105.15.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.7%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Stockton-Lodi, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area was $37,550 in May 2025, about $3,129 a month or $18.05 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $39,350, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Stockton-Lodi, CA was $18.05 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.62 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.77.

How many food preparation workers work in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

BLS estimated 1,470 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.88 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Stockton-Lodi, CA run from $34,560 at the 10th percentile to $36,030 at the 25th, $43,680 at the 75th, and $47,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

On a median gross salary of $37,550, an estimated $31,867 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,226 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,683 (an effective rate of 15.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

On the median annual salary of $37,550, gross monthly income is $3,129. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,656 per month (or $1,226 every two weeks).

Is $37,550 a good salary in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

At $37,550, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.7% of the Stockton-Lodi, CA median household income ($92,179). It is 23% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.1, so prices here run 5.1% above the U.S. average.