Food Preparation Worker salary in Missouri
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A food preparation worker in Missouri earns a median of $31,510 a year ($15.15/hour equivalent), 10.8% below the national median of $35,320. Missouri ranks #35 of 51 states. About 13,650 people do this job in Missouri.
Take-home pay in Missouri
At the Missouri median, a single filer keeps about $26,973 a year after federal, FICA and Missouri taxes — $1,037 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Missouri paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,211.92
- Federal income tax
- −$61.58
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$75.14
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$17.57
- Missouri income tax
- −$20.19
- Take-home pay
- $1,037.44
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $31,510
- Federal
- $1,601
- FICA
- $2,411
- State + local
- $525
- Net
- $26,973
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 4.7%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
How Missouri compares
| Rank | State | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Washington | $40,910 |
| #2 | District of Columbia | $39,600 |
| #3 | California | $39,350 |
| #4 | Colorado | $38,960 |
| #5 | Massachusetts | $38,900 |
| #35 | Missouri | $31,510 |
| #49 | Kentucky | $26,850 |
| #50 | Mississippi | $26,240 |
| #51 | Louisiana | $23,620 |
See the national food preparation worker salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Food Preparation Workers (SOC 35-2021), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food preparation worker make in Missouri?
The median salary is $31,510 a year and the average is $34,040 (BLS May 2025).
Is Missouri a good state for food preparation workers?
Missouri ranks #35 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 11% below the national median of $35,320.
What is $31,510 after taxes in Missouri?
About $26,973 a year ($1,037 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.