Food Preparation Workers Salary in Tennessee
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$28,700
Median hourly
$14
Average annual
$30,860
Employed in state
20K
The median annual salary for Food Preparation Workers in Tennessee is $28,700, or about $14 an hour. That is 19% lower than the national median.
Pay in Tennessee ranges from $22,290 at the 10th percentile to $39,660 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 20K people work as food preparation workers in the state.
Pay distribution in Tennessee
10th$22,290
25th$24,350
Median$28,700
75th$35,820
90th$39,660
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $13.80
- Daily
- $110
- Weekly
- $552
- Bi-weekly
- $1,104
- Monthly
- $2,392
- Annual
- $28,700
$28,700 a year is around the 50th percentile for Food Preparation Workerss in Tennessee. The median is $28,700.
Food Preparation Workers pay by metro area in Tennessee
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $34,640 | 6.4K |
| Knoxville, TN | $30,960 | 2.5K |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $30,300 | 1.8K |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $28,020 | 930 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $27,290 | 3.5K |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $27,030 | 790 |
| Morristown, TN | $27,020 | 280 |
| Jackson, TN | $26,970 | 580 |
| Johnson City, TN | $26,850 | 800 |
| Cleveland, TN | $25,430 | 280 |
Other jobs in Tennessee
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Cashiers$32,880
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,930
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$49,590
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Light Truck Drivers$44,860