The median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $38,130 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $40,310.
Pay spans roughly $34,690 at the 10th percentile to $47,050 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $18.33 per hour. An estimated 8,010 people work as food preparation workers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Median (annual) | $38,130 |
| Mean (annual) | $40,310 |
| Median (hourly) | $18.33 |
| 10th percentile | $34,690 |
| 90th percentile | $47,050 |
| Employment | 8,010 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.