Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO make a median of $36,510 a year, or about $17.55 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers.
So what does $37K get you in Fort Collins-Loveland?
About food preparation workers
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food preparation workers in metros near Fort Collins-Loveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $39K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $37K | , |
| Boulder | $40K | , |
| Greeley | $39K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $16K 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 Fort Collins-Loveland numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Collins-Loveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 82.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation workers in Fort Collins-Loveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,848/month.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Fort Collins-Loveland compare to the national average for food preparation workers?
Fort Collins-Loveland pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +3%.
How much do food preparation workers make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
The median is $36,510 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,800, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $46,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Fort Collins-Loveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,481/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 82.4% 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 workers salary go in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Fort Collins-Loveland 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 $36,510 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.