Food Preparation Workers Salary in Wisconsin
Food Preparation Workers in Wisconsin have a median of $34,070 a year, below the national $35,320 (−4%); the state ranks 28th of 51 states by median. That is 32% less than the median across all occupations in Wisconsin ($50,270). Among neighbouring states, Illinois and Minnesota pay more (up to $34,850 in Illinois) and Michigan and Iowa pay less (down to $30,360 in Iowa). Wisconsin employs 17,990 food preparation workers, 6.12 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.06 is close to the national share.
Wisconsin vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $12.54 | $13.88 | $16.38 | $18.24 | $21.29 | $16.34 | 17,990 | 6.12 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $26,080 | $28,870 | $34,070 | $37,940 | $44,290 | $34,000 | ||||
| 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
- 28th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.06
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.12
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | $17.76 | $36,940 | $26,980 | $47,060 | 2,330 | 5.70 | 0.99 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $17.05 | $35,470 | $28,250 | $43,920 | 4,500 | 5.49 | 0.95 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $16.87 | $35,100 | $30,250 | $46,690 | 16,810 | 8.62 | 1.50 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $16.78 | $34,900 | $24,190 | $43,640 | 660 | 7.81 | 1.36 |
| Kenosha, WI | $16.75 | $34,840 | $27,330 | $45,010 | 490 | 6.53 | 1.14 |
| Appleton, WI | $16.37 | $34,060 | $23,990 | $45,050 | 650 | 5.21 | 0.91 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $16.35 | $34,010 | $27,040 | $43,630 | 1,050 | 8.44 | 1.47 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $16.19 | $33,680 | $25,860 | $43,390 | 580 | 6.69 | 1.16 |
| Green Bay, WI | $15.73 | $32,720 | $22,610 | $42,390 | 1,260 | 7.23 | 1.26 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $15.55 | $32,340 | $25,330 | $44,840 | 500 | 5.38 | 0.94 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $15.46 | $32,150 | $26,430 | $44,200 | 490 | 6.96 | 1.21 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $15.25 | $31,720 | $23,640 | $39,420 | 320 | 7.18 | 1.25 |
| Wausau, WI | $15.25 | $31,720 | $23,650 | $44,290 | 440 | 6.37 | 1.11 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $14.81 | $30,810 | $24,140 | $44,310 | 370 | 6.04 | 1.05 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $14.65 | $30,460 | $22,990 | $42,970 | 500 | 6.55 | 1.14 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $15.09 | $31,390 | $26,310 | $39,020 | 1,360 | 6.96 | 1.21 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $15.09 | $31,390 | $26,740 | $41,310 | 1,710 | 8.10 | 1.41 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $15.00 | $31,200 | $25,290 | $39,970 | 1,040 | 8.13 | 1.41 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $14.75 | $30,680 | $22,880 | $42,310 | 330 | 6.88 | 1.20 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Food Preparation Workers (every state ranked) and the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.