Food Preparation Workers Salary in Pennsylvania
Food Preparation Workers in Pennsylvania have a median of $30,840 a year, below the national $35,320 (−13%); the state ranks 37th of 51 states by median. That is 38% less than the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Among neighbouring states, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Ohio pay more (up to $35,930 in Delaware) and West Virginia pays less (down to $28,360 in West Virginia). Pennsylvania employs 17,940 food preparation workers, 2.96 per 1,000 jobs, the 15th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.51 means it is less common in Pennsylvania than nationally.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $10.75 | $13.38 | $14.83 | $17.35 | $19.04 | $15.33 | 17,940 | 2.96 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $22,360 | $27,830 | $30,840 | $36,080 | $39,600 | $31,880 | ||||
| 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
- 37th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 15th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.51
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.96
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania
16 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $16.62 | $34,560 | $28,240 | $43,300 | 10,780 | 3.72 | 0.65 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $16.07 | $33,430 | $27,040 | $41,430 | 1,360 | 3.60 | 0.63 |
| Lancaster, PA | $15.19 | $31,580 | $23,340 | $39,050 | 940 | 3.73 | 0.65 |
| Reading, PA | $15.18 | $31,580 | $22,960 | $39,790 | 590 | 3.39 | 0.59 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $15.14 | $31,500 | $22,810 | $37,330 | 120 | 3.81 | 0.66 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $15.08 | $31,370 | $23,530 | $38,310 | 970 | 2.88 | 0.50 |
| State College, PA | $15.01 | $31,210 | $22,040 | $37,860 | 260 | 3.84 | 0.67 |
| Lebanon, PA | $15.00 | $31,200 | $23,100 | $39,850 | 180 | 3.42 | 0.59 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $14.95 | $31,100 | $22,720 | $38,620 | 430 | 2.33 | 0.41 |
| Altoona, PA | $14.57 | $30,300 | $22,240 | $36,080 | 270 | 4.61 | 0.80 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $14.48 | $30,120 | $19,100 | $39,360 | 3,290 | 2.95 | 0.51 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $14.37 | $29,890 | $21,840 | $38,050 | 170 | 2.81 | 0.49 |
| Erie, PA | $14.24 | $29,620 | $22,710 | $39,120 | 370 | 3.10 | 0.54 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $14.05 | $29,210 | $22,280 | $37,450 | 940 | 3.67 | 0.64 |
| Williamsport, PA | $13.69 | $28,480 | $21,360 | $35,320 | 190 | 3.76 | 0.65 |
| Johnstown, PA | $11.98 | $24,920 | $18,570 | $32,790 | 120 | 2.61 | 0.45 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $14.01 | $29,140 | $22,360 | $37,230 | 540 | 4.18 | 0.73 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $14.01 | $29,140 | $21,510 | $37,490 | 560 | 3.79 | 0.66 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $13.86 | $28,830 | $22,360 | $37,850 | 460 | 3.28 | 0.57 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $13.82 | $28,740 | $21,240 | $37,490 | 750 | 3.98 | 0.69 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $14.83 | $30,840 | 17,940 | 0.51 |
| Delaware | $17.28 | $35,930 | 2,400 | 0.86 |
| Maryland | $17.07 | $35,500 | 13,280 | 0.84 |
| New Jersey | $17.09 | $35,540 | 24,730 | 1.00 |
| New York | $17.12 | $35,610 | 62,380 | 1.12 |
| Ohio | $16.60 | $34,530 | 19,480 | 0.61 |
| West Virginia | $13.63 | $28,360 | 2,960 | 0.73 |
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.