Food Prep Worker salary

The median pay for a food prep worker nationally is $17.29 an hour — about $35,960 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for U.S. (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most food prep workers nationally earn between $13.37 an hour and $21.85 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $13.37 an hour. A quarter of food prep workers earn below $15.03 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band. This is a role employers routinely fill with people who have no prior experience.

The top 10% of food prep workers nationally earn about $21.85 an hour or more, roughly 1.3× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — certifications, supervisory duties, specialised skills or premium shifts.

Food prep workers do the cutting, portioning and assembly that happens before service starts. It is usually the first job in a kitchen and needs no experience. Day to day, that means wash, peel, chop and portion ingredients, prepare sauces, dressings and batches to recipe, stock and rotate kitchen supplies and keep prep areas and equipment clean.

The usual route is: (1) apply directly — no experience expected, (2) learn every prep station, (3) move to line cook, (4) progress toward sous chef or kitchen management. Employers typically look for no formal education required, food handler card in most jurisdictions and standing for long shifts.

Usually not. Most employers hire food prep workers without a specific licence, and train on the job.

One of the highest-volume openings in food service, and the most reliable way into a kitchen without training.

No — prep work happens before service and is about volume and consistency, while cooks work to order during service under time pressure. Prep is the usual stepping stone: learn the ingredients and the recipes, then move onto the line.