Food Preparation Workers Salary in Missouri
Food Preparation Workers in Missouri 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 Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Nebraska and Illinois pay more (up to $35,210 in Nebraska) and Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky pay less (down to $26,850 in Kentucky). Missouri employs 13,650 food preparation workers, 4.65 per 1,000 jobs, the 23rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.81 is close to the national share.
Missouri vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $13.75 | $14.05 | $15.15 | $17.81 | $21.37 | $16.37 | 13,650 | 4.65 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $29,220 | $31,510 | $37,050 | $44,440 | $34,040 | ||||
| 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
- 23rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.81
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.65
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Missouri'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 Missouri
8 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Missouri 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MO | $16.99 | $35,340 | $28,600 | $49,620 | 1,490 | 6.67 | 1.16 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $15.58 | $32,400 | $29,880 | $40,030 | 6,220 | 4.64 | 0.81 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $15.49 | $32,230 | $28,180 | $43,240 | 5,080 | 4.63 | 0.81 |
| Columbia, MO | $14.28 | $29,710 | $28,600 | $38,090 | 470 | 4.41 | 0.77 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $14.04 | $29,200 | $28,600 | $43,420 | 260 | 3.23 | 0.56 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $13.95 | $29,010 | $28,600 | $42,600 | 410 | 4.72 | 0.82 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $13.92 | $28,960 | $28,600 | $41,730 | 440 | 8.13 | 1.42 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $13.87 | $28,860 | $28,600 | $36,550 | 240 | 5.34 | 0.93 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $14.40 | $29,940 | $28,600 | $36,310 | 1,080 | 6.99 | 1.22 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $14.05 | $29,220 | $28,600 | $36,780 | 820 | 4.97 | 0.87 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.93 | $28,960 | $28,600 | $42,450 | 460 | 5.75 | 1.00 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $39,010 | 680 | 6.43 | 1.12 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $15.15 | $31,510 | 13,650 | 0.81 |
| Arkansas | $13.30 | $27,660 | 5,500 | 0.73 |
| Iowa | $14.60 | $30,360 | 4,170 | 0.47 |
| Illinois | $16.75 | $34,850 | 34,820 | 0.99 |
| Kansas | $14.56 | $30,280 | 7,680 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | $12.91 | $26,850 | 15,390 | 1.34 |
| Nebraska | $16.93 | $35,210 | 6,890 | 1.17 |
| Oklahoma | $13.72 | $28,540 | 7,430 | 0.76 |
| Tennessee | $13.80 | $28,700 | 19,780 | 1.05 |
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Missouri 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 Missouri 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.