Topeka, KS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Topeka, KS?

In the Topeka, KS metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $30,300 a year ($14.57 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 700 of these jobs there. That is 39% below the $49,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,420 and $42,210; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,614 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Topeka, KS at a glance

Median salary

$30,300$14.57 per hour · $2,525 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,420$11.26/hr
25th percentile$27,630$13.28/hr
75th percentile$36,100$17.36/hr
90th percentile$42,210$20.29/hr
Jobs in this metro700Location quotient 1.05 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here39% belowAll-jobs median $49,540
Against Kansasabout the same asStatewide median $30,280
Against the U.S.14% 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 Topeka, KS after taxes

$30,300
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,300
Net 85%
Fed 5%
KS 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,614After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,135Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$985Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,456 / yr
Kansas state income tax$912 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,318 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Topeka, KS, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Topeka, KS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KS)
10th percentile$11.26/hr$1,952$23,420$20,342
25th percentile$13.28/hr$2,303$27,630$23,590
MedianMedian$14.57/hr$2,525$30,300$25,614
75th percentile$17.36/hr$3,008$36,100$29,972
90th percentile$20.29/hr$3,518$42,210$34,540

Is $30,300 a good salary in Topeka, KS?

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$69,888Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.811.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.4%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Topeka, KS: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Topeka, KS?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Topeka, KS metro area was $30,300 in May 2025, about $2,525 a month or $14.57 an hour. Statewide, the Kansas median for this job is $30,280, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Topeka, KS?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Topeka, KS was $14.57 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.26 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.29.

How many food preparation workers work in Topeka, KS?

BLS estimated 700 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.05 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Topeka, KS?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Topeka, KS run from $23,420 at the 10th percentile to $27,630 at the 25th, $36,100 at the 75th, and $42,210 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Topeka, KS?

On a median gross salary of $30,300, an estimated $25,614 lands in net take-home pay per year ($985 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,686 (an effective rate of 15.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Topeka, KS?

On the median annual salary of $30,300, gross monthly income is $2,525. After federal, FICA, and Kansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,135 per month (or $985 every two weeks).

Is $30,300 a good salary in Topeka, KS?

At $30,300, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.4% of the Topeka, KS median household income ($69,888). It is 39% below the $49,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.