Food Preparation Workers Salary in Ohio
Food Preparation Workers in Ohio have a median of $34,530 a year, below the national $35,320 (−2%); the state ranks 27th of 51 states by median. That is 30% less than the median across all occupations in Ohio ($49,380). Ohio pays more than every neighbouring state: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky range from $26,850 in Kentucky to $31,180 in Michigan. Ohio employs 19,480 food preparation workers, 3.51 per 1,000 jobs, the 13th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.61 means it is less common in Ohio than nationally.
Ohio vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $12.81 | $13.91 | $16.60 | $18.30 | $21.39 | $16.61 | 19,480 | 3.51 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $26,640 | $28,930 | $34,530 | $38,070 | $44,500 | $34,560 | ||||
| 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
- 27th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 13th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.61
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.51
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Ohio'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 Ohio
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $17.75 | $36,930 | $28,890 | $46,670 | 3,210 | 2.90 | 0.50 |
| Cleveland, OH | $17.00 | $35,360 | $27,890 | $44,310 | 4,410 | 4.28 | 0.74 |
| Toledo, OH | $16.95 | $35,260 | $27,580 | $45,200 | 950 | 3.26 | 0.57 |
| Akron, OH | $16.83 | $35,010 | $26,410 | $45,620 | 1,110 | 3.48 | 0.60 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $16.50 | $34,320 | $24,230 | $44,420 | 5,320 | 4.84 | 0.84 |
| Mansfield, OH | $16.48 | $34,270 | $23,560 | $37,860 | 200 | 4.14 | 0.72 |
| Sandusky, OH | $16.38 | $34,080 | $27,420 | $42,960 | 270 | 5.36 | 0.93 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $15.92 | $33,110 | $26,910 | $43,190 | 1,060 | 2.86 | 0.50 |
| Springfield, OH | $15.31 | $31,840 | $24,370 | $43,790 | 160 | 3.46 | 0.60 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $15.11 | $31,420 | $24,270 | $44,790 | 810 | 4.99 | 0.87 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $14.57 | $30,310 | $24,560 | $38,550 | 720 | 4.46 | 0.78 |
| Lima, OH | $14.29 | $29,720 | $24,280 | $38,210 | 230 | 4.53 | 0.79 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $13.96 | $29,040 | $22,850 | $35,810 | 310 | 5.30 | 0.92 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $13.45 | $27,980 | $22,890 | $37,240 | 160 | 4.28 | 0.75 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $12.00 | $24,960 | $18,730 | $35,910 | 850 | 6.04 | 1.05 |
| Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $14.06 | $29,240 | $23,220 | $38,720 | 530 | 3.22 | 0.56 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $13.94 | $28,990 | $23,820 | $39,350 | 770 | 3.06 | 0.53 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $13.84 | $28,790 | $23,940 | $39,730 | 880 | 3.58 | 0.62 |
| Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $13.59 | $28,270 | $23,810 | $37,140 | 510 | 3.73 | 0.65 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $16.60 | $34,530 | 19,480 | 0.61 |
| Indiana | $14.28 | $29,700 | 16,200 | 0.88 |
| Kentucky | $12.91 | $26,850 | 15,390 | 1.34 |
| Michigan | $14.99 | $31,180 | 17,380 | 0.69 |
| Pennsylvania | $14.83 | $30,840 | 17,940 | 0.51 |
| West Virginia | $13.63 | $28,360 | 2,960 | 0.73 |
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Ohio 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 Ohio 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.