Food Preparation Workers Salary in Colorado
The median for food preparation workers in Colorado is $38,960 a year, somewhat above the national $35,320 (+10%); the state ranks 4th of 51 states by median. That is 35% less than the median across all occupations in Colorado ($59,800). Colorado pays more than every neighbouring state: Arizona, Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah, New Mexico, Kansas and Oklahoma range from $28,540 in Oklahoma to $36,750 in Arizona. Colorado employs 12,080 food preparation workers, 4.20 per 1,000 jobs, the 27th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.73 means it is less common in Colorado than nationally.
Colorado vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $14.81 | $16.68 | $18.73 | $21.51 | $23.56 | $19.33 | 12,080 | 4.20 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $30,800 | $34,690 | $38,960 | $44,740 | $49,000 | $40,210 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $12.41 | $14.40 | $16.98 | $18.53 | $21.80 | $16.96 | 893,600 | – | – |
| Annual | $25,810 | $29,950 | $35,320 | $38,550 | $45,340 | $35,290 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 4th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 27th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.73
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.20
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Colorado's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Colorado
7 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Colorado publish a row for food preparation workers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $19.08 | $39,690 | $31,290 | $50,200 | 650 | 3.37 | 0.59 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $18.98 | $39,470 | $30,800 | $48,600 | 6,640 | 4.13 | 0.72 |
| Greeley, CO | $18.82 | $39,150 | $32,110 | $47,800 | 530 | 4.42 | 0.77 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $18.01 | $37,450 | $33,710 | $48,680 | 1,190 | 3.76 | 0.65 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $17.90 | $37,240 | $30,800 | $44,560 | 340 | 5.04 | 0.88 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $17.55 | $36,510 | $30,800 | $46,700 | 740 | 4.36 | 0.76 |
| Pueblo, CO | $17.13 | $35,620 | $30,800 | $45,180 | 260 | 4.27 | 0.74 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $19.97 | $41,540 | $32,030 | $58,140 | 770 | 5.80 | 1.01 |
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $18.84 | $39,200 | $32,030 | $55,910 | 590 | 5.43 | 0.94 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $17.20 | $35,770 | $30,800 | $50,800 | 340 | 4.86 | 0.85 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Colorado wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Colorado estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.