Food Preparation Workers pay in New York
$38,310avg. a year
$18.42 an hour · 62,380 employed
Food Preparation Workers in New York earn an average of $38,310 a year. That is $3,020 (9%) more than the U.S. average of $35,290. The best-paying metro area is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $38,790.
$35,610Median pay
$18.42Average hourly
+18%Avg. pay since 2020
#10Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying New York metro areas
Average pay for food preparation workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 13.
163,530 jobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$38,790
$18.65 an hour
2280 jobs
Ithaca, NY
$37,860
$18.20 an hour
31,890 jobs
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
$37,270
$17.92 an hour
41,660 jobs
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
$36,740
$17.67 an hour
5370 jobs
Kingston, NY
$36,490
$17.54 an hour
6550 jobs
Binghamton, NY
$36,170
$17.39 an hour
72,870 jobs
Rochester, NY
$36,140
$17.37 an hour
81,520 jobs
Syracuse, NY
$36,070
$17.34 an hour
93,290 jobs
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
$35,720
$17.17 an hour
10300 jobs
Glens Falls, NY
$35,660
$17.15 an hour
11160 jobs
Elmira, NY
$35,220
$16.93 an hour
12760 jobs
Utica-Rome, NY
$34,830
$16.75 an hour
13210 jobs
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
$34,750
$16.71 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 New York, charted
Pay over time
New York, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where New York food preparation workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · New York highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $32k$32k–$35k$35k–$38k$38k+New York
New York vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $35,290 | $16.96 |
| New York | $38,310 | $18.42 |
| Massachusetts | $41,030 | $19.73 |
| Connecticut | $39,290 | $18.89 |
| Vermont | $38,850 | $18.68 |
| New Jersey | $37,680 | $18.11 |
| Pennsylvania | $31,880 | $15.33 |
Related jobs in New York
Average pay, New York, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do food preparation workers make in New York?
The average is $38,310 a year, and the median is $35,610. That is $3,020 (9%) more than the U.S. average of $35,290.
What is the hourly wage in New York?
$18.42 an hour on average; the median is $17.12.
Where in New York do they earn the most?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ($38,790), followed by Ithaca, NY ($37,860). The lowest average among 13 metro areas with data is Watertown-Fort Drum, NY ($34,750).
How does New York rank?
New York ranks #10 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.