Waterbury-Shelton, CT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

In the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,580 a year ($17.59 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,430 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $51,440 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,010 and $42,510; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Connecticut tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,640 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Waterbury-Shelton, CT at a glance

Median salary

$36,580$17.59 per hour · $3,048 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,010$16.35/hr
25th percentile$35,750$17.19/hr
75th percentile$37,510$18.03/hr
90th percentile$42,510$20.44/hr
Jobs in this metro1,430Location quotient 1.55 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $51,440
Against Connecticutabout the same asStatewide median $36,650
Against the U.S.4% aboveNational 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 Waterbury-Shelton, CT after taxes

$36,580
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,580
Net 84%
Fed 6%
CT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,640After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,553Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,178Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,210 / yr
Connecticut state income tax$932 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,798 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Waterbury-Shelton, CT, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CT)
10th percentile$16.35/hr$2,834$34,010$28,760
25th percentile$17.19/hr$2,979$35,750$30,047
MedianMedian$17.59/hr$3,048$36,580$30,640
75th percentile$18.03/hr$3,126$37,510$31,309
90th percentile$20.44/hr$3,543$42,510$34,921

Is $36,580 a good salary in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

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$86,191Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)99.80.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household42.4%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Waterbury-Shelton, CT: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metro area was $36,580 in May 2025, about $3,048 a month or $17.59 an hour. Statewide, the Connecticut median for this job is $36,650, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Waterbury-Shelton, CT was $17.59 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.35 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.44.

How many food preparation workers work in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

BLS estimated 1,430 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.55 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Waterbury-Shelton, CT run from $34,010 at the 10th percentile to $35,750 at the 25th, $37,510 at the 75th, and $42,510 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

On a median gross salary of $36,580, an estimated $30,640 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,178 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Connecticut in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,940 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

On the median annual salary of $36,580, gross monthly income is $3,048. After federal, FICA, and Connecticut state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,553 per month (or $1,178 every two weeks).

Is $36,580 a good salary in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?

At $36,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 42.4% of the Waterbury-Shelton, CT median household income ($86,191). It is 29% below the $51,440 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 99.8, so prices here run 0.2% below the U.S. average.