Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in Virgin Islands make a median of $30,460 a year, or about $14.64 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $32K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $30K actually covers in Virgin Islands, month by month
About food preparation workers
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virgin Islands
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $32K or more, a $5K 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 |
| Minnesota | $35K | -1% | 24,620 |
| Illinois | $35K | -1% | 34,820 |
| 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track food preparation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Virgin Islands numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virgin Islands?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 60.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,340/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 Virgin Islands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,988/month.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in Virgin Islands?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Virgin Islands compare to the national average for food preparation workers?
Virgin Islands pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -14%.
How much do food preparation workers make in Virgin Islands?
The median is $30,460 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,150, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $31,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Virgin Islands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,209/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,340/month, which eats 60.7% 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 Virgin Islands?
Virgin Islands 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 $30,460 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.