Food Preparation Workers Salary in Utah
Food Preparation Workers in Utah have a median of $33,540 a year, below the national $35,320 (−5%); the state ranks 30th of 51 states by median. That is 33% less than the median across all occupations in Utah ($50,110). Among neighbouring states, Colorado, Arizona and Wyoming pay more (up to $38,960 in Colorado) and Nevada, New Mexico and Idaho pay less (down to $31,510 in Idaho). Utah employs 10,530 food preparation workers, 6.07 per 1,000 jobs, the 30th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.06 is close to the national share.
Utah vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Utah | Hourly | $12.85 | $14.31 | $16.12 | $18.46 | $21.78 | $16.63 | 10,530 | 6.07 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $26,740 | $29,770 | $33,540 | $38,400 | $45,290 | $34,580 | ||||
| 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
- 30th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 30th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.06
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.07
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Utah'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 Utah
5 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching Utah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. George, UT | $16.73 | $34,800 | $26,100 | $45,960 | 670 | 7.36 | 1.28 |
| Ogden, UT | $16.55 | $34,430 | $26,760 | $44,610 | 1,530 | 5.63 | 0.98 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $16.55 | $34,420 | $23,920 | $43,350 | 1,580 | 5.18 | 0.90 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $16.04 | $33,370 | $27,240 | $43,620 | 4,880 | 5.91 | 1.03 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $14.62 | $30,400 | $25,680 | $41,600 | 450 | 6.67 | 1.16 |
| Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $17.46 | $36,310 | $27,980 | $47,000 | 650 | 9.55 | 1.66 |
| High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $15.35 | $31,930 | $26,440 | $48,210 | 820 | 7.40 | 1.29 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Utah 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 Utah 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.