Food Preparation Workers salary · New Jersey
Food Preparation Workers Salary in New Jersey
Food Preparation Workers in New Jersey earn a median of $35,540 a year, which is $17.09 an hour. That is about the same as the national median of $35,320. The state employs 24,730.
New Jersey against the US May 2025
| Figure | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $35,540 | $35,320 |
| Median hourly | $17.09 | $16.98 |
| Mean annual | $37,680 | $35,290 |
| 10th percentile | $32,220 | $25,810 |
| 90th percentile | $46,070 | $45,340 |
| Employment | 24,730 | 893,600 |
How New Jersey compares
By median pay, New Jersey ranks 5 of the 12 states this site reports for food preparation workers. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for food preparation workers May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $40,910 | $19.67 | 19,510 |
| California | $39,350 | $18.92 | 112,750 |
| Florida | $35,920 | $17.27 | 73,100 |
| New York | $35,610 | $17.12 | 62,380 |
| Georgia | $35,250 | $16.95 | 26,450 |
| Illinois | $34,850 | $16.75 | 34,820 |
| Minnesota | $34,850 | $16.76 | 24,620 |
| Texas | $30,650 | $14.74 | 81,280 |
| North Carolina | $30,260 | $14.55 | 24,960 |
| Tennessee | $28,700 | $13.80 | 19,780 |
| Louisiana | $23,620 | $11.36 | 30,920 |
Common questions
How much do food preparation workers make in New Jersey?
The median salary for food preparation workers in New Jersey is $35,540 a year, or $17.09 an hour. That is about the same as the national median of $35,320. New Jersey employs 24,730 of them.
Is New Jersey a good state to work as a food preparation worker?
On pay alone, New Jersey ranks 5 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in New Jersey?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $32,220 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $46,070 or more. The middle half falls between $33,530 and $38,470.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 35-2021 in New Jersey. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national food preparation workers salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.