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Wausau, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Wausau, WI?

In the Wausau, WI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,720 a year ($15.25 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 440 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $48,790 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,650 and $44,290; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,991 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Wausau, WI at a glance

Median salary

$31,720$15.25 per hour · $2,643 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,650$11.37/hr
25th percentile$27,610$13.28/hr
75th percentile$37,060$17.82/hr
90th percentile$44,290$21.29/hr
Jobs in this metro440Location quotient 1.11 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $48,790
Against Wisconsin7% belowStatewide median $34,070
Against the U.S.10% 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.

Take-home payWhat $32,000 a year leaves after tax in WisconsinFederal tax, FICA and Wisconsin withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$15 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $32,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $32,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Wisconsin publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Wisconsin.

Food preparation worker salary in Wausau, WI after taxes

$31,720
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,720
Net 85%
Fed 5%
WI 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,991After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,249Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,038Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,626 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$676 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,427 / yr
Customize deductions in full Wisconsin calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Wausau, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Wausau, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$11.37/hr$1,971$23,650$20,756
25th percentile$13.28/hr$2,301$27,610$23,862
MedianMedian$15.25/hr$2,643$31,720$26,991
75th percentile$17.82/hr$3,088$37,060$31,019
90th percentile$21.29/hr$3,691$44,290$36,472

Is $31,720 a good salary in Wausau, WI?

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$77,884Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.77.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.7%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other Wisconsin metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Wausau, WI. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Wausau, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Wausau, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Wausau, WI metro area was $31,720 in May 2025, about $2,643 a month or $15.25 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $34,070, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Wausau, WI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Wausau, WI was $15.25 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.37 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.29.

How many food preparation workers work in Wausau, WI?

BLS estimated 440 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.11 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Wausau, WI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Wausau, WI run from $23,650 at the 10th percentile to $27,610 at the 25th, $37,060 at the 75th, and $44,290 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Wausau, WI?

On a median gross salary of $31,720, an estimated $26,991 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,038 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,729 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Wausau, WI?

On the median annual salary of $31,720, gross monthly income is $2,643. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,249 per month (or $1,038 every two weeks).

Is $31,720 a good salary in Wausau, WI?

At $31,720, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.7% of the Wausau, WI median household income ($77,884). It is 35% below the $48,790 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.7, so prices here run 7.3% below the U.S. average.