The median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers in California is $38,150 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $40,510.
Pay spans roughly $34,840 at the 10th percentile to $47,910 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $18.34 per hour. An estimated 98,950 people work as food preparation workers in California.
| Median (annual) | $38,150 |
| Mean (annual) | $40,510 |
| Median (hourly) | $18.34 |
| 10th percentile | $34,840 |
| 90th percentile | $47,910 |
| Employment | 98,950 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.