What are the main factors that influence a Food Prep Team Member's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Food Prep Team Member's salary?

A Food Prep Team Member's salary grows with experience: a Food Prep Team Member (0-1 years)earns $32,345, a Food Services Team Lead (1-2 years)earns $42,092, a Food Services Supervisor (3-5 years)earns $68,133, a Food Services Manager (5+ years)earns $87,778,

What are the highest paying states for a Food Prep Team Member?

Food Prep Team Member salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Food Prep Team Member roles are District of Columbia $36,002, California $35,865, Massachusetts $35,387. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Food Prep Team Member roles make?

Salaries for Food Prep Team Member level roles vary by specialization: Food and Beverage Team Member: $93,962; Food Services Team Lead: $41,170; Crew Member Cashier&Food Prep: $34,225; Food Preparation Team Member: $32,278; Salad Prep Team Member: $31,925.

How do different companies affect a Food Prep Team Member's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Food Prep Team Member roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Food Prep Team Member Salary in the United States

How much does a Food Prep Team Member make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Food Prep Team Member in the United States is $32,516 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.

However, a Food Prep Team Member's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $36,968
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $29,952 to $34,847
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $27,617

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Food Prep Team Member Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$34,847	$2,904	$670	$17
Average	$32,516	$2,710	$625	$16
25th Percentile	$29,952	$2,496	$576	$14

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Key Factors That Influence Food Prep Team Member Salaries

A Food Prep Team Member's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Food Prep Team Member Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Food Prep Team Members. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $36,002.
California: $35,865.
Massachusetts: $35,387.

District of Columbia $36,002

California $35,865

Massachusetts $35,387

Washington $35,257

New Jersey $35,244

Alaska $35,199

Connecticut $34,750

New York $34,568

Hawaii $33,986

Rhode Island $33,713

Maryland $33,527

Minnesota $33,274

Colorado $33,176

Illinois $33,144

Oregon $33,020

Delaware $32,929

New Hampshire $32,872

Virginia $32,744

Pennsylvania $32,370

Nevada $32,181

North Dakota $32,119

Michigan $32,022

Wisconsin $31,986

Vermont $31,914

Texas $31,716

Maine $31,703

Arizona $31,684

Ohio $31,661

Georgia $31,362

Indiana $31,212

Wyoming $31,183

Utah $31,137

Iowa $31,118

Kansas $30,962

Louisiana $30,916

North Carolina $30,900

Missouri $30,893

Florida $30,767

Montana $30,698

Nebraska $30,633

Kentucky $30,598

South Carolina $30,467

Tennessee $30,386

Idaho $30,354

New Mexico $30,116

Oklahoma $30,064

Alabama $29,872

South Dakota $29,551

Arkansas $29,375

West Virginia $29,281

Mississippi $28,998

Top Paying Cities for Food Prep Team Members

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $41,012
San Francisco: $40,563
Oakland: $39,709

San Jose, CA $41,012

San Francisco, CA $40,563

Oakland, CA $39,709

New York, NY $37,439

Paramus, NJ $36,983

Queens Village, NY $36,982

Passaic, NJ $36,951

Bergenfield, NJ $36,948

Stamford, CT $36,876

Huntington, NY $36,863

Newark, NJ $36,623

Bridgeport, CT $36,554

Vallejo, CA $36,489

New Brunswick, NJ $36,476

Petaluma, CA $36,457

Middlesex, NJ $36,395

Somerset, NJ $36,372

Santa Cruz, CA $36,330

Boston, MA $36,132

Monterey, CA $36,018

Seattle, WA $35,943

Santa Rosa, CA $35,937

Los Angeles, CA $35,927

Juneau, AK $35,842

Washington, DC $35,807

Orange, CA $35,691

Santa Ana, CA $35,605

Long Beach, CA $35,573

Anaheim, CA $35,566

Anchorage, AK $35,550

Santa Maria, CA $35,452

Everett, WA $35,446

Danbury, CT $35,331

Bremerton, WA $35,286

Tacoma, WA $35,169

New Suffolk, NY $35,169

Sacramento, CA $35,160

Santa Barbara, CA $35,124

Trenton, NJ $35,088

San Diego, CA $35,088

Brockton, MA $35,052

Fairbanks, AK $34,973

Lompoc, CA $34,890

Lowell, MA $34,863

Ventura, CA $34,857

Nashua, NH $34,851

Stockton, CA $34,847

Modesto, CA $34,610

Poughkeepsie, NY $34,538

Olympia, WA $34,477

Kennewick, WA $34,477

New Haven, CT $34,464

Lawrence, MA $34,347

Hartford, CT $34,314

Riverside, CA $34,308

New Bedford, MA $34,275

Richland, WA $34,275

Bakersfield, CA $34,230

San Bernardino, CA $34,217

New Britain, CT $34,213

Atlantic City, NJ $34,213

New London, CT $34,200

Norwich, CT $34,191

Portsmouth, NH $34,184

Boulder, CO $34,115

Portland, OR $34,070

Worcester, MA $34,067

Minneapolis, MN $33,966

Philadelphia, PA $33,921

Honolulu, HI $33,813

Saint Paul, MN $33,798

Vineland, NJ $33,791

Providence, RI $33,696

Chicago, IL $33,602

Bellingham, WA $33,563

Springfield, MA $33,537

Baltimore, MD $33,527

Chico, CA $33,446

Pittsfield, MA $33,358

Manchester, NH $33,296

Spokane, WA $33,153

Denver, CO $33,150

Albany, NY $32,997

Troy, NY $32,984

Nassau, NY $32,949

Schenectady, NY $32,916

Wilmington, DE $32,890

Burlington, VT $32,844

Salem, OR $32,831

Portland, ME $32,731

Yakima, WA $32,698

Rochester, MN $32,597

Reno, NV $32,581

Fresno, CA $32,581

Milwaukee, WI $32,552

Detroit, MI $32,519

Ann Arbor, MI $32,514

Allentown, PA $32,509

Colorado Springs, CO $32,454

Syracuse, NY $32,438

Carson City, NV $32,438

Houston, TX $32,392

Eugene, OR $32,376

Gary, IN $32,337

Springfield, OR $32,311

Bismarck, ND $32,305

Galveston, TX $32,282

Medford, OR $32,233

Fort Collins, CO $32,220

Concord, NH $32,204

Austin, TX $32,194

Mesa, AZ $32,126

Reading, PA $32,123

Phoenix, AZ $32,119

Dallas, TX $32,110

Saint Cloud, MN $32,078

Madison, WI $32,035

Utica, NY $31,947

Rochester, NY $31,895

Des Moines, IA $31,892

Raleigh, NC $31,888

Atlanta, GA $31,840

Battle Creek, MI $31,830

Salt Lake City, UT $31,820

Lancaster, PA $31,771

Harrisburg, PA $31,726

Kansas City, MO $31,693

Champaign, IL $31,687

Kansas City, KS $31,687

Fort Worth, TX $31,684

Columbus, OH $31,678

Boca Raton, FL $31,671

Pittsburgh, PA $31,658

Richmond, VA $31,645

Indianapolis, IN $31,638

Cleveland, OH $31,635

Las Vegas, NV $31,596

Cincinnati, OH $31,596

Petersburg, VA $31,547

Huntsville, AL $31,498

Lansing, MI $31,476

Lebanon, PA $31,472

Pueblo, CO $31,469

Appleton, WI $31,459

Buffalo, NY $31,446

Dayton, OH $31,436

Racine, WI $31,430

Charlotte, NC $31,427

Saint Louis, MO $31,417

York, PA $31,397

Elkhart, IN $31,397

Gastonia, NC $31,391

Billings, MT $31,383

Beaumont, TX $31,375

Lorain, OH $31,368

Benton Harbor, MI $31,362

Toledo, OH $31,355

Binghamton, NY $31,339

Rock Hill, SC $31,336

Rockford, IL $31,319

Springfield, IL $31,306

Elyria, OH $31,303

Fargo, ND $31,303

Flagstaff, AZ $31,280

Fort Lauderdale, FL $31,261

Duluth, MN $31,241

Miami, FL $31,241

Cheyenne, WY $31,219

Grand Forks, ND $31,219

Bangor, ME $31,147

Cedar Rapids, IA $31,111

Durham, NC $31,098

Louisville, KY $31,095

Grand Rapids, MI $31,089

Hialeah, FL $31,085

Casper, WY $31,040

Scranton, PA $31,001

New Orleans, LA $30,991

Virginia Beach, VA $30,988

Akron, OH $30,971

Peoria, IL $30,929

Sarasota, FL $30,923

Nashville, TN $30,900

Omaha, NE $30,900

Green Bay, WI $30,900

Baton Rouge, LA $30,884

Charleston, SC $30,877

Jamestown, NY $30,861

Davenport, IA $30,861

Tucson, AZ $30,845

Saint Petersburg, FL $30,825

Tampa, FL $30,819

Evansville, IN $30,799

Port Arthur, TX $30,799

Bradenton, FL $30,786

Santa Fe, NM $30,728

Orlando, FL $30,669

Clearwater, FL $30,659

Canton, OH $30,591

La Crosse, WI $30,591

Albuquerque, NM $30,572

Newport News, VA $30,568

High Point, NC $30,559

Ogden, UT $30,546

Corpus Christi, TX $30,520

Norfolk, VA $30,500

Laramie, WY $30,500

Rock Island, IL $30,480

Saginaw, MI $30,474

Jacksonville, FL $30,471

Salisbury, NC $30,464

Boise, ID $30,458

Moline, IL $30,441

Fort Myers, FL $30,432

Memphis, TN $30,425

Tulsa, OK $30,409

Waterloo, IA $30,389

Spartanburg, SC $30,357

Lincoln, NE $30,341

Fort Wayne, IN $30,334

Provo, UT $30,331

Cedar Falls, IA $30,292

San Antonio, TX $30,279

Greensboro, NC $30,266

South Bend, IN $30,263

Savannah, GA $30,227

Muskegon, MI $30,214

Birmingham, AL $30,211

Winston Salem, NC $30,195

Lake Charles, LA $30,116

Anderson, IN $30,110

Lexington, KY $30,100

Augusta, GA $30,090

Greenville, SC $30,090

Lima, OH $30,064

Wichita, KS $30,061

Tuscaloosa, AL $30,061

Columbia, SC $30,032

Springfield, OH $30,025

Asheville, NC $29,973

Bloomington, IN $29,950

Knoxville, TN $29,833

Shreveport, LA $29,830

Wilmington, NC $29,788

Roanoke, VA $29,788

Topeka, KS $29,729

Frankfort, KY $29,726

Oklahoma City, OK $29,703

Chillicothe, OH $29,690

Longview, TX $29,687

Melbourne, FL $29,684

Sioux Falls, SD $29,632

Mobile, AL $29,629

Terre Haute, IN $29,616

Altoona, PA $29,596

Amarillo, TX $29,573

Killeen, TX $29,564

Fayetteville, AR $29,538

Chattanooga, TN $29,528

Sioux City, IA $29,499

Idaho Falls, ID $29,492

Lynchburg, VA $29,466

Gainesville, FL $29,424

Portsmouth, OH $29,407

Little Rock, AR $29,401

Lafayette, LA $29,388

Youngstown, OH $29,388

Daytona Beach, FL $29,368

Clarksville, TN $29,365

Pensacola, FL $29,362

Temple, TX $29,360

Hopkinsville, KY $29,264

Erie, PA $29,258

Florence, SC $29,245

Charleston, WV $29,193

Great Falls, MT $29,177

Macon, GA $29,131

Tallahassee, FL $29,128

Fayetteville, NC $29,121

Waco, TX $29,115

Helena, MT $29,092

Pine Bluff, AR $29,080

Vincennes, IN $29,040

Lubbock, TX $29,027

Alamogordo, NM $29,008

Twin Falls, ID $28,978

Rapid City, SD $28,969

Jackson, MS $28,910

Huntington, WV $28,908

Greenville, MS $28,907

Parkersburg, WV $28,874

Montgomery, AL $28,868

Wichita Falls, TX $28,835

Springfield, MO $28,835

Biloxi, MS $28,819

Monroe, LA $28,786

Johnstown, PA $28,764

Sumter, SC $28,751

Columbus, GA $28,747

Pascagoula, MS $28,686

Abilene, TX $28,686

Kingsport, TN $28,601

Albany, GA $28,601

Gulfport, MS $28,591

Alexandria, LA $28,484

Fort Smith, AR $28,403

El Paso, TX $28,315

Las Cruces, NM $28,169

Harlingen, TX $28,086

Pocatello, ID $28,081

Florence, AL $28,039

Brownsville, TX $28,032

Mcallen, TX $27,964

Dothan, AL $27,918

Columbus, MS $27,725

Altus, OK $27,574

Lawton, OK $27,512

Pierre, SD $27,395

What Skills Can Increase a Food Prep Team Member's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 14.61% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Foodservice (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
Catering (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	14.61%
Foodservice	2.87%
Catering	1.44%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Food Prep Team Member's salary.

Generosity: Can increase your salary by up to 38%.
WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Generosity	$44,872	38%
WFM	$36,743	13%
Commitment	$36,093	11%
Analysis	$34,792	7%
Brand Awareness	$34,792	7%
Decision Making	$34,467	6%

Get Latest Data

Food Prep Team Member Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Food Prep Team Member roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 32% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 18% above the average. In contrast, Food Prep Team Member positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Food Prep Team Member as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Food Prep Team Member

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking	$38,369	$18.0	18%
Pharmaceuticals	$37,393	$18.0	15%
Biotechnology	$36,418	$18.0	12%
Energy & Utilities	$35,768	$17.0	10%
Aerospace & Defense	$35,117	$17.0	8%

How Education impacts a Food Prep Team Member's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Food Prep Team Members enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Food Prep Team Member with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $32,120 and $34,508).

Food Prep Team Member Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Food Prep Team Member

No Diploma 8.8%

High School 50.8%

Associates 24.9%

Bachelors 15.0%

Masters 0.5%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	8.8%
High School	50.8%
Associates	24.9%
Bachelors	15.0%
Masters	0.5%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Food Prep Team Member Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Food Prep Team Member's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$29,952

Average $32,516/year

$34,847

$2,496

Average $2,710/month

$2,904

$576

Average $625/week

$670

$14

Average $16/hour

$17

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$34,847	$2,904	$670	$17
Average	$32,516	$2,710	$625	$16
25th Percentile	$29,952	$2,496	$576	$14

Salaries of jobs related to Food Prep Team Member

Salary Trends for Food Prep Team Member

Salaries for a Food Prep Team Member can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $31,493 in 2023 to around $30,978 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Food Prep Team Member salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Food Prep Team Member Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$31,493

2024

$31,341

2025

$30,978

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$31,493
2024	$31,341
2025	$30,978
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Food Prep Team Member

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Food Prep Team Member

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Food Prep Team Member?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Food Prep Team Member roles, with salaries approximately 18% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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