Food Preparation Workers Salary in Idaho
Food Preparation Workers in Idaho have a median of $31,510 a year, below the national $35,320 (−11%); the state ranks 34th of 51 states by median. That is 34% less than the median across all occupations in Idaho ($47,970). Every neighbouring state pays more: Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, Utah and Nevada range from $33,460 in Nevada to $40,910 in Washington. Idaho employs 4,670 food preparation workers, 5.45 per 1,000 jobs, the 38th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
Idaho vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $10.65 | $13.24 | $15.15 | $17.71 | $19.36 | $15.57 | 4,670 | 5.45 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $22,150 | $27,530 | $31,510 | $36,850 | $40,260 | $32,380 | ||||
| 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
- 34th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 38th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.45
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Idaho'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 Idaho
7 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching Idaho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | $17.71 | $36,830 | $24,640 | $46,170 | 480 | 6.60 | 1.15 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $17.20 | $35,780 | $22,360 | $45,950 | 170 | 5.99 | 1.04 |
| Boise City, ID | $16.99 | $35,340 | $22,640 | $44,960 | 1,830 | 4.66 | 0.81 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $14.66 | $30,490 | $21,580 | $39,370 | 400 | 4.89 | 0.85 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $14.62 | $30,400 | $25,680 | $41,600 | 450 | 6.67 | 1.16 |
| Twin Falls, ID | $14.40 | $29,960 | $22,560 | $37,860 | 290 | 5.82 | 1.01 |
| Pocatello, ID | $14.08 | $29,290 | $22,150 | $36,260 | 210 | 5.52 | 0.96 |
| Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $14.09 | $29,310 | $21,320 | $36,420 | 520 | 6.91 | 1.20 |
| Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $13.74 | $28,570 | $20,800 | $36,850 | 740 | 7.72 | 1.34 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Idaho 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 Idaho 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.