Food Preparation Workers Salary in Oregon
The median for food preparation workers in Oregon is $37,450 a year, somewhat above the national $35,320 (+6%); the state ranks 7th of 51 states by median. That is 34% less than the median across all occupations in Oregon ($57,000). Among neighbouring states, Washington and California pay more (up to $40,910 in Washington) and Nevada and Idaho pay less (down to $31,510 in Idaho). Oregon employs 11,860 food preparation workers, 6.03 per 1,000 jobs, the 28th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.05 is close to the national share.
Oregon vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $15.17 | $16.88 | $18.00 | $20.61 | $23.35 | $19.00 | 11,860 | 6.03 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $31,560 | $35,100 | $37,450 | $42,860 | $48,580 | $39,510 | ||||
| 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
- 7th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 28th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.05
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.03
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Oregon'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 Oregon
8 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Oregon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $18.62 | $38,730 | $35,070 | $50,280 | 6,870 | 5.68 | 0.99 |
| Bend, OR | $18.27 | $38,010 | $33,400 | $49,090 | 760 | 7.00 | 1.22 |
| Salem, OR | $17.93 | $37,300 | $31,510 | $48,590 | 990 | 5.24 | 0.91 |
| Corvallis, OR | $17.56 | $36,510 | $31,070 | $44,920 | 330 | 8.50 | 1.48 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $17.38 | $36,160 | $30,840 | $45,380 | 980 | 6.24 | 1.09 |
| Albany, OR | $17.24 | $35,860 | $31,280 | $45,160 | 260 | 5.41 | 0.94 |
| Medford, OR | $17.04 | $35,440 | $30,910 | $47,550 | 510 | 5.71 | 0.99 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $17.03 | $35,430 | $30,900 | $46,720 | 240 | 7.97 | 1.39 |
| Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $16.88 | $35,100 | $30,040 | $43,790 | 380 | 7.54 | 1.31 |
| Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $16.82 | $34,990 | $30,150 | $45,290 | 1,090 | 9.53 | 1.66 |
| Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $16.76 | $34,850 | $30,180 | $43,540 | 490 | 6.64 | 1.16 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $18.00 | $37,450 | 11,860 | 1.05 |
| California | $18.92 | $39,350 | 112,750 | 1.08 |
| Idaho | $15.15 | $31,510 | 4,670 | 0.95 |
| Nevada | $16.09 | $33,460 | 11,420 | 1.28 |
| Washington | $19.67 | $40,910 | 19,510 | 0.96 |
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Oregon 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 Oregon 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.