Waco, TX · SOC 35-2021

Food Preparation Workers in Waco

Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Median Salary

$28,690

per year in Waco

19% below

National Median

$35,320

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$13.79/hr

median hourly

Employment

940

jobs in Waco

BLS metro-level wage data places Food Preparation Workers pay in Waco, TX at a median of $28,690 per year ($13.79/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $35,320, Waco pays 19% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 940 food preparation workerss are employed across the Waco MSA in SOC 35-2021.

The Waco pay distribution spans from $22,890 at the 10th percentile to $37,960 at the 90th — a 1.7× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $27,250 and the 75th at $34,370, so half of Waco-based food preparation workerss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Waco, TX covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide TX data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Salary Range in Waco

Annual Salary Distribution

$22,890$27,250$28,690$34,370$37,960
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$22,890

25th Percentile

$27,250

Median

$28,690

75th Percentile

$34,370

90th Percentile

$37,960

Top Paying Jobs in Waco

Similar Occupations in Waco

Other roles inside the Waco, TX MSA from the same SOC major group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Food Preparation Workers make in Waco?
The median annual salary for Food Preparation Workers in Waco, TX is $28,690 ($13.79/hour). The salary range spans from $22,890 at the 10th percentile to $37,960 at the 90th percentile.
Is Waco a good place to work as a Food Preparation Workers?
Food Preparation Workers in Waco, TX earns 19% below the national median of $35,320. There are approximately 940 Food Preparation Workers jobs in this metro area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

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