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Food Preparation Workers Salary in Florida

What Food Preparation Workers earn in Florida, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 11 counties.

Average in FL
$35,973
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
8 of 24
published states
Workers in state
72,020
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
3
11 counties

Pay by labor market in Florida

Food Preparation Workers pay by wage area in Florida
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$36,330$31,320$4,182Hillsborough County, FL
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$36,090$31,127−$1,687Miami-Dade County, FL
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$35,600$30,733$2,660Orange County, FL

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Food Preparation Workers in Florida counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Hillsborough County, FL$36,330$31,320$4,182
2Pinellas County, FL$36,330$31,320$4,182
3Pasco County, FL$36,330$31,320$4,182
4Hernando County, FL$36,330$31,320$4,182
5Orange County, FL$35,600$30,733$2,660
6Seminole County, FL$35,600$30,733$2,660
7Osceola County, FL$35,600$30,733$2,660
8Lake County, FL$35,600$30,733$2,660
9Broward County, FL$36,090$31,127$941
10Palm Beach County, FL$36,090$31,127−$331
11Miami-Dade County, FL$36,090$31,127−$1,687

Food Preparation Workers pay in Florida

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Food Preparation Workers in Florida is $35,973, based on 72,020 workers. Among the 24 states with published data, that ranks number 8. The BLS national median for the occupation is $35,320, so Florida averages 1.8% above it.

Inside Florida, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $36,330 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area and the lowest is $35,600 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL, a difference of $730 across 3 wage areas.

Cost of living for Food Preparation Workers in Florida

We compare 11 Florida counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Hillsborough County, FL leaves the largest yearly margin, $4,182. In Miami-Dade County, FL the basics cost $1,687 more than take-home pay. The median wage covers all four basics in 9 of the 11 counties.

Food Preparation Workers in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Food Preparation Workers are Washington ($40,765), California ($39,696), New Hampshire ($39,052) and Massachusetts ($38,435).

Frequently asked questions: Food Preparation Workers in Florida

How much do Food Preparation Workers earn in Florida?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $35,973, from $35,600 to $36,330 depending on the labor market.

Which Florida county is best for Food Preparation Workers?

Hillsborough County, FL leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($4,182). Pinellas County, FL follows at $4,182.