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Tuscaloosa, AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Tuscaloosa, AL?

In the Tuscaloosa, AL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $28,530 a year ($13.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 870 of these jobs there. That is 37% below the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,840 and $37,200; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,997 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Tuscaloosa, AL at a glance

Median salary

$28,530$13.72 per hour · $2,378 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,840$10.02/hr
25th percentile$21,840$10.50/hr
75th percentile$34,690$16.68/hr
90th percentile$37,200$17.89/hr
Jobs in this metro870Location quotient 1.40 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here37% belowAll-jobs median $45,220
Against Alabama2% aboveStatewide median $27,930
Against the U.S.19% 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.

Take-home payWhat $29,000 a year leaves after tax in AlabamaFederal tax, FICA and Alabama withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$14 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $29,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $29,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Alabama publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Alabama.

Food preparation worker salary in Tuscaloosa, AL after taxes

$28,530
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,530
Net 84%
Fed 4%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,997After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,000Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$923Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,244 / yr
Alabama state income tax$1,107 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,183 / yr
Customize deductions in full Alabama calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Tuscaloosa, AL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Tuscaloosa, AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$10.02/hr$1,737$20,840$18,018
25th percentile$10.50/hr$1,820$21,840$18,797
MedianMedian$13.72/hr$2,378$28,530$23,997
75th percentile$16.68/hr$2,891$34,690$28,661
90th percentile$17.89/hr$3,100$37,200$30,564

Is $28,530 a good salary in Tuscaloosa, AL?

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$61,517Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.712.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.4%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 Alabama metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Tuscaloosa, AL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Tuscaloosa, AL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Tuscaloosa, AL metro area was $28,530 in May 2025, about $2,378 a month or $13.72 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $27,930, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Tuscaloosa, AL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Tuscaloosa, AL was $13.72 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.02 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.89.

How many food preparation workers work in Tuscaloosa, AL?

BLS estimated 870 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.40 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Tuscaloosa, AL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Tuscaloosa, AL run from $20,840 at the 10th percentile to $21,840 at the 25th, $34,690 at the 75th, and $37,200 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Tuscaloosa, AL?

On a median gross salary of $28,530, an estimated $23,997 lands in net take-home pay per year ($923 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,533 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Tuscaloosa, AL?

On the median annual salary of $28,530, gross monthly income is $2,378. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,000 per month (or $923 every two weeks).

Is $28,530 a good salary in Tuscaloosa, AL?

At $28,530, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.4% of the Tuscaloosa, AL median household income ($61,517). It is 37% below the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.7, so prices here run 12.3% below the U.S. average.