Urban Honolulu, HI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Urban Honolulu, HI?

In the Urban Honolulu, HI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $37,300 a year ($17.94 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,210 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $57,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,950 and $50,630; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Hawaii tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,009 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Urban Honolulu, HI at a glance

Median salary

$37,300$17.94 per hour · $3,108 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,950$14.40/hr
25th percentile$31,630$15.21/hr
75th percentile$46,020$22.12/hr
90th percentile$50,630$24.34/hr
Jobs in this metro4,210Location quotient 1.64 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $57,220
Against Hawaii2% belowStatewide median $38,160
Against the U.S.6% aboveNational 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 Urban Honolulu, HI after taxes

$37,300
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,300
Net 83%
Fed 6%
HI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,009After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,584Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,193Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,296 / yr
Hawaii state income tax$1,142 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,853 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Urban Honolulu, HI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (HI)
10th percentile$14.40/hr$2,496$29,950$25,590
25th percentile$15.21/hr$2,636$31,630$26,832
MedianMedian$17.94/hr$3,108$37,300$31,009
75th percentile$22.12/hr$3,835$46,020$37,419
90th percentile$24.34/hr$4,219$50,630$40,791

Is $37,300 a good salary in Urban Honolulu, HI?

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$106,195Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)111.011% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household35.1%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Urban Honolulu, HI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Urban Honolulu, HI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area was $37,300 in May 2025, about $3,108 a month or $17.94 an hour. Statewide, the Hawaii median for this job is $38,160, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Urban Honolulu, HI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Urban Honolulu, HI was $17.94 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.40 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.34.

How many food preparation workers work in Urban Honolulu, HI?

BLS estimated 4,210 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.64 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Urban Honolulu, HI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Urban Honolulu, HI run from $29,950 at the 10th percentile to $31,630 at the 25th, $46,020 at the 75th, and $50,630 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Urban Honolulu, HI?

On a median gross salary of $37,300, an estimated $31,009 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,193 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Hawaii in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,291 (an effective rate of 16.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Urban Honolulu, HI?

On the median annual salary of $37,300, gross monthly income is $3,108. After federal, FICA, and Hawaii state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,584 per month (or $1,193 every two weeks).

Is $37,300 a good salary in Urban Honolulu, HI?

At $37,300, the median salary for food preparation workers is 35.1% of the Urban Honolulu, HI median household income ($106,195). It is 35% below the $57,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 111.0, so prices here run 11% above the U.S. average.