Food Preparation Workers salary
in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
- Middle 50%
- $35,400–$45,690
- vs U.S. median
- +7%
- Metro rank
- #40 of 496
Food Preparation Workers in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro earn a median of $37,950 a year, based on BLS estimates for 680 jobs (May 2025). That is 7% above the U.S. median of $35,320 and 7% below the WA statewide median of $40,910. It ranks #40 of 496 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE680 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Food Preparation Workers pay in other WA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $43,830 |
| Yakima, WA | $41,750 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $40,030 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $39,400 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $38,460 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $38,410 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $38,390 |
| Bellingham, WA | $38,240 |
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RELATED JOBS IN OLYMPIA
Questions
What is the average Food Preparation Workers salary in Olympia?
The BLS median is $37,950 a year (May 2025). Half of the 680 jobs pay between $35,400 and $45,690. The 10th percentile is $34,770 and the 90th is $48,390.
Is Olympia a high-paying metro for Food Preparation Workers?
That is 7% above the U.S. median of $35,320 and 7% below the WA statewide median of $40,910. It ranks #40 of 496 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Food Preparation Workers make an hour in Olympia?
About $18.25 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $37,950 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $17.02–$21.97 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.