SOC 35-2021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Preparation Workers — Kahului
Kahului-Wailuku, HI · 1 metro areas compared
The median wage for Food Preparation Workers in Kahului, HI is $46,680 per year, well above the national median of $35,320.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Food Preparation Workers in Kahului, HI is $46,680 per year, well above the national median of $35,320. The gap of 32.2% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $34,510 at the tenth percentile to more than $70,710 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $36,780 to $53,130.
Employment stands at 720, or 9.8 jobs per thousand held locally. Urban Honolulu leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,300. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 203rd of 241 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,510 | −2.3% |
| 25th | $36,780 | +4.1% |
| Median (50th) | $46,680 | +32.2% |
| 75th | $53,130 | +50.4% |
| 90th | $70,710 | +100.2% |
| Mean | $48,150 | +36.3% |
Other metro areas in Hawaii
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu | $37,300 | 4,210 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Kahului run 10.0% above the national average, so the median of $46,680 buys what $42,436 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 20.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$46,680as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$42,436US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $46,680 a year, 32.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,510 to $70,710 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 720 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Urban Honolulu, at $37,300.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Preparation Workers in Kahului, HI?
The median annual wage is $46,680, or $22.44 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 Kahului, HI is 32.2% 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 Kahului, HI earns more than $70,710 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,510 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 Urban Honolulu, at $37,300 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 720 jobs in this occupation in Kahului, HI. 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.
Explore related data