Food Preparation Workers pay in Texas
$32,120avg. a year
$15.44 an hour · 81,280 employed
Food Preparation Workers in Texas earn an average of $32,120 a year. That is $3,170 (9%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290. The best-paying metro area is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX at $34,550.
$30,650Median pay
$15.44Average hourly
+30%Avg. pay since 2020
#37Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Texas metro areas
Average pay for food preparation workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 26.
19,350 jobs
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
$34,550
$16.61 an hour
2500 jobs
Midland, TX
$33,700
$16.20 an hour
316,240 jobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
$33,220
$15.97 an hour
41,680 jobs
College Station-Bryan, TX
$33,200
$15.96 an hour
521,700 jobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$32,960
$15.85 an hour
67,910 jobs
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
$32,900
$15.82 an hour
7580 jobs
Wichita Falls, TX
$32,040
$15.40 an hour
8470 jobs
Odessa, TX
$31,830
$15.30 an hour
9910 jobs
Killeen-Temple, TX
$31,520
$15.15 an hour
10940 jobs
Waco, TX
$30,440
$14.64 an hour
11770 jobs
Amarillo, TX
$30,390
$14.61 an hour
12880 jobs
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
$30,190
$14.52 an hour
13290 jobs
Sherman-Denison, TX
$29,940
$14.39 an hour
14340 jobs
San Angelo, TX
$29,810
$14.33 an hour
15230 jobs
Victoria, TX
$29,440
$14.16 an hour
16700 jobs
Laredo, TX
$29,370
$14.12 an hour
171,140 jobs
Lubbock, TX
$29,320
$14.10 an hour
18410 jobs
Abilene, TX
$29,220
$14.05 an hour
191,810 jobs
Corpus Christi, TX
$29,100
$13.99 an hour
20730 jobs
Tyler, TX
$29,010
$13.95 an hour
211,750 jobs
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
$28,820
$13.86 an hour
2290 jobs
Eagle Pass, TX
$28,750
$13.82 an hour
23310 jobs
Texarkana, TX-AR
$27,810
$13.37 an hour
24700 jobs
Longview, TX
$27,430
$13.19 an hour
251,390 jobs
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
$27,370
$13.16 an hour
262,220 jobs
El Paso, TX
$26,920
$12.94 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 Texas, charted
Pay over time
Texas, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Texas food preparation workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Texas highlighted · tap a state
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Under $32k$32k–$35k$35k–$38k$38k+Texas
Texas vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $35,290 | $16.96 |
| Texas | $32,120 | $15.44 |
| New Mexico | $32,880 | $15.81 |
| Arkansas | $29,460 | $14.17 |
| Oklahoma | $28,710 | $13.80 |
| Louisiana | $25,580 | $12.30 |
Related jobs in Texas
- Cooks, Restaurant$33,370
- Cooks, Fast Food$29,680
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$34,870
- Cooks, All Other$33,130
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$27,750
- Waiters and Waitresses$29,750
Average pay, Texas, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do food preparation workers make in Texas?
The average is $32,120 a year, and the median is $30,650. That is $3,170 (9%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290.
What is the hourly wage in Texas?
$15.44 an hour on average; the median is $14.74.
Where in Texas do they earn the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX ($34,550), followed by Midland, TX ($33,700). The lowest average among 26 metro areas with data is El Paso, TX ($26,920).
How does Texas rank?
Texas ranks #37 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.