Food Preparation Workers pay in Wisconsin
$34,000avg. a year
$16.34 an hour · 17,990 employed
Food Preparation Workers in Wisconsin earn an average of $34,000 a year. That is $1,290 (4%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290. The best-paying metro area is Madison, WI at $36,760.
$34,070Median pay
$16.34Average hourly
+42%Avg. pay since 2020
#30Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Wisconsin metro areas
Average pay for food preparation workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
12,330 jobs
Madison, WI
$36,760
$17.67 an hour
216,810 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$36,390
$17.50 an hour
34,500 jobs
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
$35,080
$16.86 an hour
4490 jobs
Kenosha, WI
$34,480
$16.58 an hour
51,050 jobs
Duluth, MN-WI
$33,840
$16.27 an hour
6650 jobs
Appleton, WI
$33,740
$16.22 an hour
7660 jobs
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$33,540
$16.13 an hour
8500 jobs
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
$33,500
$16.10 an hour
9370 jobs
Sheboygan, WI
$33,280
$16.00 an hour
10580 jobs
Eau Claire, WI
$33,190
$15.96 an hour
11490 jobs
Janesville-Beloit, WI
$32,770
$15.75 an hour
12440 jobs
Wausau, WI
$32,570
$15.66 an hour
131,260 jobs
Green Bay, WI
$32,550
$15.65 an hour
14320 jobs
Fond du Lac, WI
$32,420
$15.59 an hour
15500 jobs
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI
$32,040
$15.40 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 Wisconsin, charted
Pay over time
Wisconsin, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Wisconsin food preparation workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Wisconsin highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $32k$32k–$35k$35k–$38k$38k+Wisconsin
Wisconsin vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $35,290 | $16.96 |
| Wisconsin | $34,000 | $16.34 |
| Illinois | $36,260 | $17.43 |
| Minnesota | $35,610 | $17.12 |
| Michigan | $32,720 | $15.73 |
| Iowa | $32,080 | $15.42 |
Related jobs in Wisconsin
Average pay, Wisconsin, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do food preparation workers make in Wisconsin?
The average is $34,000 a year, and the median is $34,070. That is $1,290 (4%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290.
What is the hourly wage in Wisconsin?
$16.34 an hour on average; the median is $16.38.
Where in Wisconsin do they earn the most?
Madison, WI ($36,760), followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($36,390). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI ($32,040).
How does Wisconsin rank?
Wisconsin ranks #30 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.