Food Preparation Workers · SOC 35-2021
Food Preparation Workers Salary in the New York
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025New York
Figures describe the state of New York as a whole.
Food Preparation Workers in the New York earned a median of $35,610 per year ($17.12 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $33,280 at the 10th percentile to $46,800 at the 90th. BLS estimates 62,380 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Food Preparation Workers in the New York earn more than $35,610 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $34,320 and $40,250.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $33,280 | $34,320 | $35,610 | $40,250 | $46,800 |
| Hourly | $16.00 | $16.50 | $17.12 | $19.35 | $22.50 |
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
- New York$35,610 median for New York; middle half earns $34,320 to $40,250
- 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 +1% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Metro areas in New York
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for food preparation workers, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- New Yorkthis page$35,610 median for New York; middle half earns $34,320 to $40,250
- $36,260 median for Albany metro area; middle half earns $33,730 to $39,620
- $36,140 median for Ithaca metro area; middle half earns $33,590 to $39,470
- $35,670 median for New York metro area; middle half earns $34,330 to $41,600
- $35,550 median for Kiryas Joel metro area; middle half earns $33,430 to $37,840
- $35,370 median for Binghamton metro area; middle half earns $32,240 to $37,690
- $35,130 median for Kingston metro area; middle half earns $32,780 to $36,920
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 New York
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.