Food Preparation Workers pay range in Honolulu
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $50,630 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Honolulu earn between $31,630 and $46,020.
- $30K10th
- $32K25th
- $37KMedian
- $46K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,080 | $3,340 | $19.27 |
| Median | $37,300 | $3,108 | $17.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,630 | $2,636 | $15.21 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,020 | $3,835 | $22.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Preparation Workers pay in Honolulu vs. Hawaii and the U.S.
Food preparation workers in Honolulu earn 4% less than the Hawaii average ($41,670) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($35,290). At the median the gap is +6% against the U.S. median of $35,320.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $40,080 | $37,300 | $29,950 | $50,630 | 4,210 |
| Hawaii | $41,670 | $38,160 | $29,950 | $57,720 | 5,950 |
| United States | $35,290 | $35,320 | $25,810 | $45,340 | 893,600 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Honolulu
On the average salary of $40,080, a single filer in Honolulu takes home about $33,053 a year, or $2,754 a month and $1,271 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Is Honolulu a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Honolulu area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.0), so the average $40,080 buys what about $36,121 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Honolulu ($57,220). A typical home costs $851,163, or 21.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Hawaii cities
Honolulu ranks 2nd of 2 Hawaii metro areas for this job; Kahului pays the most ($48,150).
- Kahului$48,150
- Honolulu$40,080
Highest-paying cities for food preparation workers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($48,150).
- Kahului, HI$48,150
- San Jose, CA$45,660
- Seattle, WA$44,390
- Napa, CA$44,240
- Santa Rosa, CA$43,450
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Food Preparation Workers salary in Honolulu: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Honolulu?
$19.27 an hour on average, and $17.94 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Honolulu?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Honolulu?
About $33,053 a year ($2,754 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,080. Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Do food preparation workers earn more in Honolulu than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($35,290).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2021; area Urban Honolulu, HI (46520). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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