Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

In the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA 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 330 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $49,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,650 and $46,750; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,572 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA at a glance

Median salary

$36,580$17.59 per hour · $3,048 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,650$16.66/hr
25th percentile$34,890$16.77/hr
75th percentile$42,500$20.43/hr
90th percentile$46,750$22.48/hr
Jobs in this metro330Location quotient 1.11 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $49,290
Against Washington11% belowStatewide median $40,910
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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA after taxes

$36,580
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,580
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,572After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,631Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,214Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,210 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,798 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.66/hr$2,888$34,650$30,021
25th percentile$16.77/hr$2,908$34,890$30,214
MedianMedian$17.59/hr$3,048$36,580$31,572
75th percentile$20.43/hr$3,542$42,500$36,329
90th percentile$22.48/hr$3,896$46,750$39,744

Is $36,580 a good salary in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

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$81,938Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.93.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.6%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area was $36,580 in May 2025, about $3,048 a month or $17.59 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $40,910, so the metro pays 11% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA was $17.59 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.66 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.48.

How many food preparation workers work in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

BLS estimated 330 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA run from $34,650 at the 10th percentile to $34,890 at the 25th, $42,500 at the 75th, and $46,750 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

On a median gross salary of $36,580, an estimated $31,572 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,214 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,008 (an effective rate of 13.7%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

On the median annual salary of $36,580, gross monthly income is $3,048. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,631 per month (or $1,214 every two weeks).

Is $36,580 a good salary in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

At $36,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.6% of the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA median household income ($81,938). It is 26% below the $49,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.9, so prices here run 3.9% above the U.S. average.