Food Preparation Workers Salary in Kentucky
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$26,850
Median hourly
$13
Average annual
$28,760
Employed in state
15K
The median annual salary for Food Preparation Workers in Kentucky is $26,850, or about $13 an hour. That is 24% lower than the national median.
Pay in Kentucky ranges from $20,900 at the 10th percentile to $37,830 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 15K people work as food preparation workers in the state.
Pay distribution in Kentucky
10th$20,900
25th$22,790
Median$26,850
75th$33,890
90th$37,830
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $12.91
- Daily
- $103
- Weekly
- $516
- Bi-weekly
- $1,033
- Monthly
- $2,238
- Annual
- $26,850
$26,850 a year is around the 50th percentile for Food Preparation Workerss in Kentucky. The median is $26,850.
Food Preparation Workers pay by metro area in Kentucky
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $34,320 | 5.3K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $29,640 | 4.9K |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $27,340 | 2.3K |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $27,210 | 480 |
| Owensboro, KY | $27,130 | 460 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $27,030 | 790 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $26,410 | 660 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $24,960 | 850 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $23,600 | 490 |
Other jobs in Kentucky
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- Cashiers$32,880
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,930
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670
- Nursing Assistants$42,260
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$49,590
- Cooks, Fast Food$30,890
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500