Traverse City, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Traverse City, MI?

In the Traverse City, MI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,980 a year ($15.37 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 400 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,570 and $42,860; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,768 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Traverse City, MI at a glance

Median salary

$31,980$15.37 per hour · $2,665 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,570$12.77/hr
25th percentile$27,590$13.27/hr
75th percentile$36,040$17.33/hr
90th percentile$42,860$20.61/hr
Jobs in this metro400Location quotient 1.02 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $47,470
Against Michigan3% aboveStatewide median $31,180
Against the U.S.9% 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 Traverse City, MI after taxes

$31,980
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,980
Net 84%
Fed 5%
MI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,768After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,231Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,030Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,658 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,108 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,446 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Traverse City, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Traverse City, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.77/hr$2,214$26,570$22,612
25th percentile$13.27/hr$2,299$27,590$23,409
MedianMedian$15.37/hr$2,665$31,980$26,768
75th percentile$17.33/hr$3,003$36,040$29,857
90th percentile$20.61/hr$3,572$42,860$35,047

Is $31,980 a good salary in Traverse City, MI?

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$80,889Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.46.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.5%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Traverse City, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Traverse City, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Traverse City, MI metro area was $31,980 in May 2025, about $2,665 a month or $15.37 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $31,180, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Traverse City, MI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Traverse City, MI was $15.37 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.77 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.61.

How many food preparation workers work in Traverse City, MI?

BLS estimated 400 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.02 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 Traverse City, MI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Traverse City, MI run from $26,570 at the 10th percentile to $27,590 at the 25th, $36,040 at the 75th, and $42,860 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Traverse City, MI?

On a median gross salary of $31,980, an estimated $26,768 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,030 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,212 (an effective rate of 16.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Traverse City, MI?

On the median annual salary of $31,980, gross monthly income is $2,665. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,231 per month (or $1,030 every two weeks).

Is $31,980 a good salary in Traverse City, MI?

At $31,980, the median salary for food preparation workers is 39.5% of the Traverse City, MI median household income ($80,889). It is 33% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.4, so prices here run 6.6% below the U.S. average.