Food Preparation Worker salary in Tennessee
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A food preparation worker in Tennessee earns a median of $28,700 a year ($13.80/hour equivalent), 18.7% below the national median of $35,320. Tennessee ranks #44 of 51 states. About 19,780 people do this job in Tennessee.
Take-home pay in Tennessee
At the Tennessee median, a single filer keeps about $25,240 a year after federal, FICA and Tennessee taxes — $971 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Tennessee paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,103.85
- Federal income tax
- −$48.62
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$68.44
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$16.01
- Tennessee income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $970.79
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $28,700
- Federal
- $1,264
- FICA
- $2,196
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $25,240
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
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 Tennessee 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 |
| #44 | Tennessee | $28,700 |
| #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 Tennessee?
The median salary is $28,700 a year and the average is $30,860 (BLS May 2025).
Is Tennessee a good state for food preparation workers?
Tennessee ranks #44 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 19% below the national median of $35,320.
What is $28,700 after taxes in Tennessee?
About $25,240 a year ($971 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.