Valdosta, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Valdosta, GA?

In the Valdosta, GA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $29,020 a year ($13.95 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 340 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $39,110 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,670 and $36,180; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,798 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Valdosta, GA at a glance

Median salary

$29,020$13.95 per hour · $2,418 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,670$10.42/hr
25th percentile$25,200$12.11/hr
75th percentile$33,870$16.29/hr
90th percentile$36,180$17.39/hr
Jobs in this metro340Location quotient 1.10 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $39,110
Against Georgia18% belowStatewide median $35,250
Against the U.S.18% 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 Valdosta, GA after taxes

$29,020
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,020
Net 85%
Fed 4%
GA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,798After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,067Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$954Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,302 / yr
Georgia state income tax$700 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,220 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Valdosta, GA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Valdosta, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$10.42/hr$1,806$21,670$19,122
25th percentile$12.11/hr$2,100$25,200$21,853
MedianMedian$13.95/hr$2,418$29,020$24,798
75th percentile$16.29/hr$2,823$33,870$28,453
90th percentile$17.39/hr$3,015$36,180$30,194

Is $29,020 a good salary in Valdosta, GA?

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$57,085Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.311.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.8%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Valdosta, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Valdosta, GA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Valdosta, GA metro area was $29,020 in May 2025, about $2,418 a month or $13.95 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,250, so the metro pays 18% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Valdosta, GA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Valdosta, GA was $13.95 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.42 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.39.

How many food preparation workers work in Valdosta, GA?

BLS estimated 340 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.10 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Valdosta, GA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Valdosta, GA run from $21,670 at the 10th percentile to $25,200 at the 25th, $33,870 at the 75th, and $36,180 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Valdosta, GA?

On a median gross salary of $29,020, an estimated $24,798 lands in net take-home pay per year ($954 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,222 (an effective rate of 14.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Valdosta, GA?

On the median annual salary of $29,020, gross monthly income is $2,418. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,067 per month (or $954 every two weeks).

Is $29,020 a good salary in Valdosta, GA?

At $29,020, the median salary for food preparation workers is 50.8% of the Valdosta, GA median household income ($57,085). It is 26% below the $39,110 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.3, so prices here run 11.7% below the U.S. average.