SOC 35-2021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Preparation Workers — Hanford
Hanford-Corcoran, CA · 10 metro areas compared
At $37,430, median pay for Food Preparation Workers in Hanford, CA tracks the national median of $35,320 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -3.4%
- Openings per year
- 148,000
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Hanford-Corcoran, CA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $37,430, median pay for Food Preparation Workers in Hanford, CA tracks the national median of $35,320 closely. Pay ranges from under $34,500 at the tenth percentile to more than $50,430 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,830 to $43,000.
Employment stands at 260, or 5.3 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $45,580. Of the 196 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 173rd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,500 | −2.3% |
| 25th | $35,830 | +1.4% |
| Median (50th) | $37,430 | +6.0% |
| 75th | $43,000 | +21.7% |
| 90th | $50,430 | +42.8% |
| Mean | $40,800 | +15.5% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $45,580 | 5,930 | |
| 2 | Napa | $42,810 | 620 | |
| 3 | Santa Rosa | $42,640 | 1,410 | |
| 4 | San Francisco | $41,000 | 14,470 | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | $39,770 | 44,930 | |
| 6 | Santa Cruz | $39,110 | 830 | |
| 7 | Merced | $38,980 | 460 | |
| 8 | Vallejo | $38,840 | 930 | |
| 9 | San Diego | $38,780 | 9,360 | |
| 10 | El Centro | $38,610 | 320 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Hanford sit close to the national average, so $37,430 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$37,430as reported by BLSLocal price level
101.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$36,841US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,430 a year, 6.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,500 to $50,430 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 260 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $45,580.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Preparation Workers in Hanford, CA?
The median annual wage is $37,430, or $18.00 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $35,320, so pay in Hanford, CA is 6.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Hanford, CA earns more than $50,430 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,500 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $45,580 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 260 jobs in this occupation in Hanford, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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