GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Food Preparation Workers
Best States to Be a Food Preparation Workers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a food preparation workers salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $36,800 BLS median worth $41,367 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 122.7).
Which US states are best for a food preparation workers after cost of living and tax?
For a food preparation workers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $36,800 BLS median becomes $41,367 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 122.7). Louisiana ranks last ($26,400, index 78.3). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
North Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a food preparation workers. Index 100 = the average state; 122.7 means pay goes 22.7% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedFood Preparation Workers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $36,800 | — | 89.0 | $41,367 | 122.7 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $36,110 | — | 92.7 | $38,957 | 115.5 |
| 3 | Nebraska | $35,210 | $758 | 90.1 | $38,236 | 113.4 |
| 4 | Washington | $40,910 | — | 107.0 | $38,229 | 113.4 |
| 5 | Ohio | $34,530 | $167 | 92.8 | $37,039 | 109.8 |
| 6 | Colorado | $38,960 | $1,054 | 103.1 | $36,783 | 109.1 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,550 | $806 | 98.0 | $36,489 | 108.2 |
| 8 | Maine | $36,030 | $921 | 97.0 | $36,176 | 107.3 |
| 9 | Arizona | $36,750 | $444 | 100.7 | $36,062 | 106.9 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $33,370 | $515 | 92.2 | $35,630 | 105.6 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $34,070 | $740 | 94.1 | $35,422 | 105.0 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $36,780 | — | 104.2 | $35,309 | 104.7 |
| 13 | Georgia | $35,250 | $1,253 | 96.3 | $35,306 | 104.7 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $38,900 | $1,725 | 105.8 | $35,151 | 104.2 |
| 15 | California | $39,350 | $586 | 110.7 | $35,011 | 103.8 |
| 16 | Alaska | $35,720 | — | 102.4 | $34,897 | 103.5 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $39,600 | $1,276 | 109.9 | $34,871 | 103.4 |
| 18 | Montana | $33,860 | $886 | 94.6 | $34,839 | 103.3 |
| 19 | Florida | $35,920 | — | 103.4 | $34,734 | 103.0 |
| 20 | Delaware | $35,930 | $1,317 | 99.8 | $34,679 | 102.8 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $36,650 | $724 | 103.6 | $34,674 | 102.8 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $30,430 | — | 88.6 | $34,351 | 101.9 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $34,850 | $1,065 | 98.6 | $34,258 | 101.6 |
| 24 | Missouri | $31,510 | $600 | 90.8 | $34,035 | 100.9 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $35,470 | $730 | 102.3 | $33,965 | 100.7 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $32,180 | $409 | 93.7 | $33,890 | 100.5 |
| 27 | Oregon | $37,450 | $2,473 | 103.4 | $33,840 | 100.3 |
| 28 | Nevada | $33,460 | — | 100.0 | $33,467 | 99.2 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $38,160 | $1,445 | 110.0 | $33,392 | 99.0 |
| 30 | Iowa | $30,360 | $1,114 | 87.8 | $33,325 | 98.8 |
| 31 | Virginia | $34,900 | $1,207 | 101.1 | $33,325 | 98.8 |
| 32 | Illinois | $34,850 | $1,584 | 100.0 | $33,280 | 98.7 |
| 33 | Kansas | $30,280 | $911 | 90.1 | $32,608 | 96.7 |
| 34 | Maryland | $35,500 | $1,354 | 105.0 | $32,533 | 96.5 |
| 35 | Utah | $33,540 | $1,526 | 98.9 | $32,382 | 96.0 |
| 36 | Idaho | $31,510 | $674 | 95.5 | $32,291 | 95.7 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $35,540 | $534 | 108.8 | $32,173 | 95.4 |
| 38 | New York | $35,610 | $1,354 | 107.9 | $31,742 | 94.1 |
| 39 | Texas | $30,650 | — | 97.1 | $31,579 | 93.6 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $28,540 | $818 | 87.8 | $31,559 | 93.6 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $30,260 | $744 | 94.3 | $31,291 | 92.8 |
| 42 | Michigan | $31,180 | $1,079 | 96.2 | $31,285 | 92.8 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $28,700 | — | 91.9 | $31,240 | 92.6 |
| 44 | Indiana | $29,700 | $861 | 93.3 | $30,900 | 91.6 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $28,360 | $711 | 89.5 | $30,893 | 91.6 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $27,660 | $870 | 86.9 | $30,815 | 91.4 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $30,840 | $947 | 97.6 | $30,637 | 90.8 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,930 | $1,132 | 88.8 | $30,171 | 89.5 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $26,240 | $349 | 87.0 | $29,775 | 88.3 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $26,850 | $943 | 90.2 | $28,735 | 85.2 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $23,620 | $334 | 88.2 | $26,400 | 78.3 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In North Dakota, a $36,800 salary is worth about $40,333 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $920 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $35,880 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $41,542, a $1,208 gain over North Dakota.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $41,542 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $40,679 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $40,468 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $40,460 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $40,338 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $40,333 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $40,057 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $39,903 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $39,702 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $39,359 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $39,184 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $39,137 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Food Preparation Workers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a food preparation workers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a food preparation workers: a BLS median of $36,800 is worth $41,367 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 122.7 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a food preparation workers at $40,910, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #4 of 51 on real pay (index 113.4). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a food preparation workers salary go least far?
- Louisiana ranks last of 51 states for a food preparation workers: a $23,620 BLS median is worth only $26,400 after tax and cost of living (index 78.3). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a food preparation workers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.