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Tucson, AZ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Tucson, AZ?

In the Tucson, AZ metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $35,260 a year ($16.95 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,350 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $47,760 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,800 and $42,330; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arizona tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,024 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Tucson, AZ at a glance

Median salary

$35,260$16.95 per hour · $2,938 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,800$14.81/hr
25th percentile$31,870$15.32/hr
75th percentile$36,880$17.73/hr
90th percentile$42,330$20.35/hr
Jobs in this metro2,350Location quotient 1.05 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $47,760
Against Arizona4% belowStatewide median $36,750
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.

Take-home payWhat $35,000 a year leaves after tax in ArizonaFederal tax, FICA and Arizona 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 $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Arizona publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Arizona.

Food preparation worker salary in Tucson, AZ after taxes

$35,260
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,260
Net 85%
Fed 6%
AZ 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,024After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,502Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,155Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,051 / yr
Arizona state income tax$488 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,697 / yr
Customize deductions in full Arizona calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Tucson, AZ, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Tucson, AZ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AZ)
10th percentile$14.81/hr$2,567$30,800$26,552
25th percentile$15.32/hr$2,656$31,870$27,385
MedianMedian$16.95/hr$2,938$35,260$30,024
75th percentile$17.73/hr$3,073$36,880$31,285
90th percentile$20.35/hr$3,528$42,330$35,528

Is $35,260 a good salary in Tucson, AZ?

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$70,315Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.93.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.1%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 Arizona metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Tucson, AZ. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Tucson, AZ: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Tucson, AZ?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Tucson, AZ metro area was $35,260 in May 2025, about $2,938 a month or $16.95 an hour. Statewide, the Arizona median for this job is $36,750, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Tucson, AZ?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Tucson, AZ was $16.95 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.35.

How many food preparation workers work in Tucson, AZ?

BLS estimated 2,350 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.0 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 Tucson, AZ?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Tucson, AZ run from $30,800 at the 10th percentile to $31,870 at the 25th, $36,880 at the 75th, and $42,330 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Tucson, AZ?

On a median gross salary of $35,260, an estimated $30,024 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,155 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arizona in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,236 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Tucson, AZ?

On the median annual salary of $35,260, gross monthly income is $2,938. After federal, FICA, and Arizona state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,502 per month (or $1,155 every two weeks).

Is $35,260 a good salary in Tucson, AZ?

At $35,260, the median salary for food preparation workers is 50.1% of the Tucson, AZ median household income ($70,315). It is 26% below the $47,760 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.