Food Preparation Workers pay in Indiana
$31,560avg. a year
$15.17 an hour · 16,200 employed
Food Preparation Workers in Indiana earn an average of $31,560 a year. That is $3,730 (11%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290. The best-paying metro area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $36,980.
$29,700Median pay
$15.17Average hourly
+33%Avg. pay since 2020
#41Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Indiana metro areas
Average pay for food preparation workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
127,100 jobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$36,980
$17.78 an hour
25,320 jobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$33,850
$16.27 an hour
3660 jobs
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
$32,970
$15.85 an hour
44,870 jobs
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
$32,660
$15.70 an hour
5200 jobs
Columbus, IN
$32,060
$15.41 an hour
6900 jobs
Fort Wayne, IN
$31,840
$15.31 an hour
7760 jobs
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
$31,810
$15.29 an hour
8230 jobs
Kokomo, IN
$31,710
$15.25 an hour
94,910 jobs
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
$31,570
$15.18 an hour
10400 jobs
Bloomington, IN
$31,230
$15.02 an hour
11420 jobs
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
$31,060
$14.93 an hour
12860 jobs
Evansville, IN
$30,040
$14.44 an hour
13240 jobs
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
$30,030
$14.44 an hour
14340 jobs
Terre Haute, IN
$29,590
$14.22 an hour
15280 jobs
Muncie, IN
$29,350
$14.11 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Food Preparation Workers pay in Indiana, charted
Pay over time
Indiana, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Indiana food preparation workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Indiana highlighted · tap a state
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Under $32k$32k–$35k$35k–$38k$38k+Indiana
Indiana vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $35,290 | $16.96 |
| Indiana | $31,560 | $15.17 |
| Illinois | $36,260 | $17.43 |
| Ohio | $34,560 | $16.61 |
| Michigan | $32,720 | $15.73 |
| Kentucky | $28,760 | $13.83 |
Related jobs in Indiana
Average pay, Indiana, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do food preparation workers make in Indiana?
The average is $31,560 a year, and the median is $29,700. That is $3,730 (11%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290.
What is the hourly wage in Indiana?
$15.17 an hour on average; the median is $14.28.
Where in Indiana do they earn the most?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ($36,980), followed by Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($33,850). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Muncie, IN ($29,350).
How does Indiana rank?
Indiana ranks #41 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-2021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national food preparation workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.