Average hourly wages for experienced food preparation workers were $16.61 in 2022

October 17 is National Pasta Day. Ingredients for dishes like linguine with clams, fettuccine alfredo, lasagna, and the ever-popular macaroni and cheese are prepped by food preparation workers that assist cooks with routine kitchen tasks. In 2022, the average hourly wage for food preparation workers in the United States was $13.44 at the entry level and $16.61 at the experienced level.

These estimates are also available for occupations at the state level. The average hourly wage for food preparation workers in Tennessee was $12.00 for entry level and $13.63 for experienced level workers, while in New York, it was $15.83 for entry level and $19.15 for experienced level workers.

Work levels provide insight into the range of duties and responsibilities for occupations. Levels are determined based on four factors: knowledge, job controls and complexity, contacts (nature and purpose), and the physical environment. There are up to 15 work levels, and they vary by occupational groups. These levels are also grouped and published as entry, intermediate, and experienced levels for some occupations.

These data are from the Modeled Wage Estimates derived from the National Compensation Survey and the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. Modeled Wage Estimates are available for detailed occupations, geographic areas, and job characteristics, including full- and part-time status, work levels, and bargaining status.