Food preparation worker pay in Virginia Beach, VA at a glance
Median salary
$32,580$15.66 per hour · $2,715 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Virginia Beach, VA after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Virginia Beach, VA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (NC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.77/hr | $2,386 | $28,630 | $24,551 |
| 25th percentile | $14.84/hr | $2,572 | $30,860 | $26,253 |
| MedianMedian | $15.66/hr | $2,715 | $32,580 | $27,567 |
| 75th percentile | $17.49/hr | $3,032 | $36,380 | $30,468 |
| 90th percentile | $18.47/hr | $3,203 | $38,430 | $32,034 |
Is $32,580 a good salary in Virginia Beach, VA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in North Carolina and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Virginia Beach, VA: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area was $32,580 in May 2025, about $2,715 a month or $15.66 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $30,260, so the metro pays 8% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC was $15.66 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.77 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.47.
How many food preparation workers work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
BLS estimated 3,120 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.71 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC run from $28,630 at the 10th percentile to $30,860 at the 25th, $36,380 at the 75th, and $38,430 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
On a median gross salary of $32,580, an estimated $27,567 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,060 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,013 (an effective rate of 15.4%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
On the median annual salary of $32,580, gross monthly income is $2,715. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,297 per month (or $1,060 every two weeks).
Is $32,580 a good salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
At $32,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 39.6% of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC median household income ($82,330). It is 34% below the $49,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.9, so prices here run 2.1% below the U.S. average.