Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in Boulder, CO make a median of $39,690 a year, or about $19.08 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers.
So what does $40K get you in Boulder?
About food preparation workers
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food preparation workers in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $39K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $37K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $37K | , |
| Greeley | $39K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Preparation Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $41K | +16% | 19,510 |
| District of Columbia | $40K | +12% | 3,970 |
| California | $39K | +11% | 112,750 |
| Colorado | $39K | +10% | 12,080 |
| Massachusetts | $39K | +10% | 13,620 |
| Hawaii | $38K | +8% | 5,950 |
| Oregon | $37K | +6% | 11,860 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +4% | 980 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +4% | 3,420 |
| Arizona | $37K | +4% | 16,590 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +4% | 12,250 |
| Vermont | $37K | +3% | 1,350 |
| Wyoming | $36K | +2% | 1,620 |
| Maine | $36K | +2% | 4,560 |
| Delaware | $36K | +2% | 2,400 |
| Florida | $36K | +2% | 73,100 |
| Alaska | $36K | +1% | 2,800 |
| New York | $36K | +1% | 62,380 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +1% | 24,730 |
| Maryland | $36K | +1% | 13,280 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | +0% | 2,830 |
| Georgia | $35K | -0% | 26,450 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -0% | 6,890 |
| Virginia | $35K | -1% | 16,340 |
| Illinois | $35K | -1% | 34,820 |
| Minnesota | $35K | -1% | 24,620 |
| Ohio | $35K | -2% | 19,480 |
| Wisconsin | $34K | -4% | 17,990 |
| Montana | $34K | -4% | 2,990 |
| Utah | $34K | -5% | 10,530 |
| Nevada | $33K | -5% | 11,420 |
| New Mexico | $33K | -6% | 6,850 |
| South Carolina | $32K | -9% | 14,460 |
| Missouri | $32K | -11% | 13,650 |
| Idaho | $32K | -11% | 4,670 |
| Michigan | $31K | -12% | 17,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $31K | -13% | 17,940 |
| Texas | $31K | -13% | 81,280 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -14% | 3,270 |
| Iowa | $30K | -14% | 4,170 |
| Kansas | $30K | -14% | 7,680 |
| North Carolina | $30K | -14% | 24,960 |
| Indiana | $30K | -16% | 16,200 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -19% | 19,780 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -19% | 7,430 |
| West Virginia | $28K | -20% | 2,960 |
| Alabama | $28K | -21% | 17,680 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -22% | 5,500 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -24% | 15,390 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -26% | 7,870 |
| Louisiana | $24K | -33% | 30,920 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track food preparation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation workers in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,877/month.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $40K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for food preparation workers?
Boulder pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +12%.
How much do food preparation workers make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $39,690 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,290, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $50,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,682/month after taxes. Rent data is not available for this area.
How far does a food preparation workers salary go in Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food preparation workers salary is worth about $39,690 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation workers 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.