Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in Wisconsin make a median of $34,070 a year, or about $16.38 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $36,118 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 51.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Wisconsin?
About food preparation workers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Food preparation workers pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 50.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation Workers salary by metro in Wisconsin
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $37K | +8% | 2,330 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $35K | +4% | 4,500 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $35K | +2% | 660 |
| Kenosha | $35K | +2% | 490 |
| Appleton | $34K | -0% | 650 |
| Eau Claire | $34K | -1% | 580 |
| Green Bay | $33K | -4% | 1,260 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $32K | -5% | 500 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $32K | -6% | 490 |
| Fond du Lac | $32K | -7% | 320 |
| Wausau | $32K | -7% | 440 |
| Sheboygan | $31K | -10% | 370 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $30K | -11% | 500 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 50.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/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 Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,565/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for food preparation workers?
Wisconsin pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food preparation workers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $34,070 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,080, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $44,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,384/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 50.4% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $36,118 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.