Food Preparation Workers · SOC 35-2021
Food Preparation Workers Salary in the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Food Preparation Workers in the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $27,560 per year ($13.25 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $21,670 at the 10th percentile to $38,580 at the 90th. BLS estimates 1,060 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Food Preparation Workers in the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area earn more than $27,560 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $22,990 and $35,210.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $21,670 | $22,990 | $27,560 | $35,210 | $38,580 |
| Hourly | $10.42 | $11.05 | $13.25 | $16.93 | $18.55 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area$27,560 median for East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $22,990 to $35,210
- Tennesseestate$28,700 median for Tennessee; middle half earns $24,350 to $35,820
- United Statesnational$35,320 median for United States; middle half earns $29,950 to $38,550
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −4% vs Tennessee overall and −22% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Tennessee
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for food preparation workers, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- East Tennessee nonmetropolitan areathis page$27,560 median for East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $22,990 to $35,210
- $34,640 median for Nashville-Davidson metro area; middle half earns $28,270 to $39,000
- $30,960 median for Knoxville metro area; middle half earns $25,670 to $35,400
- $30,300 median for Chattanooga metro area; middle half earns $24,180 to $36,170
- $28,020 median for Kingsport metro area; middle half earns $24,130 to $31,410
- $27,290 median for Memphis metro area; middle half earns $22,370 to $34,120
- $27,030 median for Clarksville metro area; middle half earns $23,100 to $33,580
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for food preparation workerss · Highest-paying occupations in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.