Food Batchmakers Salary
Food Batchmakers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $36,400 a year, or about $17.5 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $33,431 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 89.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About food batchmakers
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Pay for food batchmakers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 89.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food batchmakerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food batchmakers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $40K | $44K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $43K | $41K |
| Richmond | $37K | $38K |
| Roanoke | $38K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level food batchmakers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Food Batchmakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Batchmakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $50K | +19% | 1,000 |
| Idaho | $50K | +17% | 1,700 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +14% | 18,040 |
| Iowa | $48K | +14% | 4,160 |
| Illinois | $48K | +14% | 12,320 |
| Kentucky | $47K | +11% | 4,570 |
| Georgia | $46K | +10% | 4,290 |
| Missouri | $46K | +8% | 2,280 |
| Colorado | $45K | +6% | 3,880 |
| Ohio | $45K | +5% | 7,040 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +2% | 7,660 |
| Kansas | $43K | +1% | 3,230 |
| Washington | $43K | +1% | 5,700 |
| Tennessee | $43K | +1% | 2,920 |
| Maine | $42K | -0% | 610 |
| California | $42K | -1% | 12,560 |
| Utah | $41K | -2% | 3,250 |
| Nebraska | $41K | -3% | 1,270 |
| Nevada | $41K | -3% | 880 |
| Virginia | $41K | -3% | 2,870 |
| North Dakota | $41K | -3% | 250 |
| Arizona | $41K | -4% | 2,300 |
| Maryland | $40K | -5% | 1,390 |
| Michigan | $40K | -5% | 5,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | -6% | 8,160 |
| Oregon | $40K | -6% | 3,420 |
| Indiana | $40K | -6% | 5,570 |
| Montana | $40K | -6% | 170 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | -7% | 310 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -7% | 660 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -8% | 1,460 |
| Alaska | $39K | -8% | 100 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -8% | 2,120 |
| New York | $38K | -9% | 8,460 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -9% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $38K | -10% | 3,640 |
| Texas | $38K | -11% | 13,250 |
| Hawaii | $37K | -11% | 360 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | -11% | 190 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -12% | 450 |
| Delaware | $37K | -12% | 380 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -12% | 700 |
| Alabama | $37K | -13% | 1,280 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | -13% | 5,100 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -13% | 3,450 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -14% | 660 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -14% | 930 |
| Florida | $36K | -16% | 3,670 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -18% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -18% | 530 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food batchmakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food batchmaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 89.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food batchmakers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food batchmakers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,901/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 118% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food batchmaker a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $36K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for food batchmakers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do food batchmakers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $36,400 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,680, and experienced food batchmakers can clear $50,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,515/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 89.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a food batchmakers salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food batchmakers salary is worth about $33,431 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food batchmakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.