Food Preparation Workers · SOC 35-2021
Food Preparation Workers Salary in the Washington
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Washington
Figures describe the state of Washington as a whole.
Food Preparation Workers in the Washington earned a median of $40,910 per year ($19.67 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $34,890 at the 10th percentile to $51,730 at the 90th. BLS estimates 19,510 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Food Preparation Workers in the Washington earn more than $40,910 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $35,880 and $47,390.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $34,890 | $35,880 | $40,910 | $47,390 | $51,730 |
| Hourly | $16.78 | $17.25 | $19.67 | $22.79 | $24.87 |
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
- Washington$40,910 median for Washington; middle half earns $35,880 to $47,390
- 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 +16% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Metro areas in Washington
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for food preparation workers, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Washingtonthis page$40,910 median for Washington; middle half earns $35,880 to $47,390
- $43,830 median for Seattle metro area; middle half earns $38,120 to $49,190
- $41,750 median for Yakima metro area; middle half earns $34,770 to $45,910
- $40,030 median for Walla Walla metro area; middle half earns $34,650 to $44,850
- $39,400 median for Bremerton metro area; middle half earns $36,750 to $47,490
- $38,460 median for Longview metro area; middle half earns $35,400 to $40,850
- $38,390 median for Kennewick metro area; middle half earns $35,910 to $41,710
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 Washington
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.