Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in Iowa make a median of $30,360 a year, or about $14.6 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $40K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $34,166 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 51.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $30K get you in Iowa?
About food preparation workers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for food preparation workers in Iowa runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 50.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (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 workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $40K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation Workers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | $35K | +16% | 270 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $33K | +9% | 770 |
| Dubuque | $33K | +7% | 150 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $32K | +6% | 170 |
| Sioux City | $31K | +3% | 280 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | +3% | 620 |
| Cedar Rapids | $31K | +2% | 340 |
| Ames | $30K | -2% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track food preparation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 50.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/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 workers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,426/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for food preparation workers?
Iowa pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do food preparation workers make in Iowa?
The median is $30,360 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,760, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $40,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,092/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 50.9% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 workers salary is worth about $34,166 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.