Food Preparation Workers pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,090 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Nashville earn between $28,270 and $39,000.
- $24K10th
- $28K25th
- $35KMedian
- $39K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,380 | $2,865 | $16.53 |
| Median | $34,640 | $2,887 | $16.65 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,270 | $2,356 | $13.59 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,000 | $3,250 | $18.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Preparation Workers pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Food preparation workers in Nashville earn 11% more than the Tennessee average ($30,860) and about the same as the U.S. average ($35,290). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $35,320.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $34,380 | $34,640 | $24,040 | $44,090 | 6,410 |
| Tennessee | $30,860 | $28,700 | $22,290 | $39,660 | 19,780 |
| 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 Nashville
On the average salary of $34,380, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $29,804 a year, or $2,484 a month and $1,146 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $34,380 buys what about $35,687 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 13.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 1st of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Nashville$34,380
- Knoxville$31,220
- Chattanooga$30,900
- Memphis$29,130
- Kingsport$28,670
- Clarksville$28,300
- Jackson$28,200
- Cleveland$27,950
- Johnson City$27,700
- Morristown$27,480
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 Nashville: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Nashville?
$16.53 an hour on average, and $16.65 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,270, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Nashville?
About $29,804 a year ($2,484 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,380. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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