The median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers in Illinois is $34,180 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $35,820.
Pay spans roughly $29,120 at the 10th percentile to $44,610 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $16.44 per hour. An estimated 29,320 people work as food preparation workers in Illinois.
| Median (annual) | $34,180 |
| Mean (annual) | $35,820 |
| Median (hourly) | $16.44 |
| 10th percentile | $29,120 |
| 90th percentile | $44,610 |
| Employment | 29,320 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.