Food Preparation Workers Salary in New Hampshire
The median for food preparation workers in New Hampshire is $36,780 a year, somewhat above the national $35,320 (+4%); the state ranks 9th of 51 states by median. That is 34% less than the median across all occupations in New Hampshire ($55,880). Among neighbouring states, Massachusetts pays more (up to $38,900 in Massachusetts) and Vermont and Maine pay less (down to $36,030 in Maine). New Hampshire employs 3,420 food preparation workers, 5.01 per 1,000 jobs, the 42nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.87 is close to the national share.
New Hampshire vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $12.90 | $14.91 | $17.68 | $18.91 | $22.10 | $17.52 | 3,420 | 5.01 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $26,830 | $31,000 | $36,780 | $39,330 | $45,980 | $36,440 | ||||
| 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
- 9th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 42nd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.87
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.01
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of New Hampshire'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 New Hampshire
2 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching New Hampshire 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $19.07 | $39,660 | $34,760 | $48,450 | 9,630 | 3.56 | 0.62 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $17.47 | $36,330 | $27,250 | $45,050 | 860 | 4.32 | 0.75 |
| Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $17.78 | $36,980 | $24,440 | $46,260 | 620 | 7.37 | 1.28 |
| Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $17.64 | $36,680 | $25,930 | $45,480 | 260 | 5.82 | 1.01 |
| Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $17.50 | $36,400 | $24,040 | $43,410 | 610 | 6.03 | 1.05 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $17.68 | $36,780 | 3,420 | 0.87 |
| Massachusetts | $18.70 | $38,900 | 13,620 | 0.65 |
| Maine | $17.32 | $36,030 | 4,560 | 1.24 |
| Vermont | $17.57 | $36,550 | 1,350 | 0.77 |
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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.