Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Others in Missouri make a median of $28,600 a year, or about $13.75 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $32,146 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 54.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Missouri?
About food preparation and serving related workers, all others
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for food preparation and serving related workers, all other in Missouri runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 53.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food preparation and serving related workers, all others.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level food preparation and serving related workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary by metro in Missouri
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $36K | +25% | N/A |
| Jefferson City | $36K | +25% | 70 |
| Springfield | $33K | +14% | N/A |
| St. Louis | $29K | +0% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation and serving related workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 53.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation and serving related workers, all others in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation and serving related workers, all others typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,716/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation and serving related workers, all other a high-paying job in Missouri?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $29K here vs. $36K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for food preparation and serving related workers, all others?
Missouri pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do food preparation and serving related workers, all others make in Missouri?
The median is $28,600 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,600, and experienced food preparation and serving related workers, all others can clear $46,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,038/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 53.8% 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 preparation and serving related workers, all other salary go in Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary is worth about $32,146 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation and serving related workers, all others 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.