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Food Preparation Workers Salary in Illinois

What Food Preparation Workers earn in Illinois, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 9 counties.

Average in IL
$34,154
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
17 of 24
published states
Workers in state
41,700
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
1
9 counties

Pay by labor market in Illinois

Food Preparation Workers pay by wage area in Illinois
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$35,410$28,969$592Cook County, IL

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Food Preparation Workers in Illinois counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1DeKalb County, IL$35,410$28,969$8,092
2Grundy County, IL$35,410$28,969$7,156
3Cook County, IL$35,410$28,969$592
4DuPage County, IL$35,410$28,969$592
5Lake County, IL$35,410$28,969$592
6Will County, IL$35,410$28,969$592
7Kane County, IL$35,410$28,969$592
8McHenry County, IL$35,410$28,969$592
9Kendall County, IL$35,410$28,969$472

Food Preparation Workers pay in Illinois

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Food Preparation Workers in Illinois is $34,154, based on 41,700 workers. Among the 24 states with published data, that ranks number 17. The BLS national median for the occupation is $35,320, so Illinois averages 3.3% below it.

Published data for Illinois currently covers the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area, with a local median wage of $35,410.

Cost of living for Food Preparation Workers in Illinois

We compare 9 Illinois counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. DeKalb County, IL leaves the largest yearly margin, $8,092. Kendall County, IL leaves the smallest, $472. The median wage covers all four basics in 9 of the 9 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 Illinois

How much do Food Preparation Workers earn in Illinois?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $34,154.

Which Illinois county is best for Food Preparation Workers?

DeKalb County, IL leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($8,092). Grundy County, IL follows at $7,156.