Food Preparation Workers salary
in St. Louis, MO-IL
- Middle 50%
- $31,160–$37,050
- vs U.S. median
- -8%
- Metro rank
- #229 of 496
Food Preparation Workers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro earn a median of $32,400 a year, based on BLS estimates for 6,220 jobs (May 2025). That is 8% below the U.S. median of $35,320 and 3% above the MO statewide median of $31,510. It ranks #229 of 496 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE6,220 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Food Preparation Workers pay in other MO metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Springfield, MO | $35,340 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $32,230 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $29,940 |
| Columbia, MO | $29,710 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $29,220 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $29,200 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $29,010 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $28,960 |
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RELATED JOBS IN ST. LOUIS
Questions
What is the average Food Preparation Workers salary in St. Louis?
The BLS median is $32,400 a year (May 2025). Half of the 6,220 jobs pay between $31,160 and $37,050. The 10th percentile is $29,880 and the 90th is $40,030.
Is St. Louis a high-paying metro for Food Preparation Workers?
That is 8% below the U.S. median of $35,320 and 3% above the MO statewide median of $31,510. It ranks #229 of 496 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Food Preparation Workers make an hour in St. Louis?
About $15.58 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $32,400 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $14.98–$17.81 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.