The median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $35,020 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $36,560.
Pay spans roughly $29,120 at the 10th percentile to $44,830 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $16.84 per hour. An estimated 24,090 people work as food preparation workers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $35,020 |
| Mean (annual) | $36,560 |
| Median (hourly) | $16.84 |
| 10th percentile | $29,120 |
| 90th percentile | $44,830 |
| Employment | 24,090 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.