Waco, TX metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Waco, TX?

In the Waco, TX metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $28,690 a year ($13.79 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 940 of these jobs there. That is 38% below the $46,020 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,890 and $37,960; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Texas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,232 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Waco, TX at a glance

Median salary

$28,690$13.79 per hour · $2,391 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,890$11.01/hr
25th percentile$27,250$13.10/hr
75th percentile$34,370$16.52/hr
90th percentile$37,960$18.25/hr
Jobs in this metro940Location quotient 1.26 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here38% belowAll-jobs median $46,020
Against Texas6% belowStatewide median $30,650
Against the U.S.19% belowNational 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Waco, TX after taxes

$28,690
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,690
Net 88%
Fed 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,232After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,103Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$970Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,263 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,195 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Waco, TX, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Waco, TX metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TX)
10th percentile$11.01/hr$1,908$22,890$20,460
25th percentile$13.10/hr$2,271$27,250$24,050
MedianMedian$13.79/hr$2,391$28,690$25,232
75th percentile$16.52/hr$2,864$34,370$29,796
90th percentile$18.25/hr$3,163$37,960$32,681

Is $28,690 a good salary in Waco, TX?

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$66,205Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.57.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.3%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Waco, TX: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Waco, TX?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Waco, TX metro area was $28,690 in May 2025, about $2,391 a month or $13.79 an hour. Statewide, the Texas median for this job is $30,650, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Waco, TX?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Waco, TX was $13.79 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.01 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.25.

How many food preparation workers work in Waco, TX?

BLS estimated 940 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.26 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Waco, TX?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Waco, TX run from $22,890 at the 10th percentile to $27,250 at the 25th, $34,370 at the 75th, and $37,960 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Waco, TX?

On a median gross salary of $28,690, an estimated $25,232 lands in net take-home pay per year ($970 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Texas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,458 (an effective rate of 12.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Waco, TX?

On the median annual salary of $28,690, gross monthly income is $2,391. After federal, FICA, and Texas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,103 per month (or $970 every two weeks).

Is $28,690 a good salary in Waco, TX?

At $28,690, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.3% of the Waco, TX median household income ($66,205). It is 38% below the $46,020 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.5, so prices here run 7.5% below the U.S. average.