Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary in Merced, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Merced, CA

Median annual salary $33,300 -4.4% vs national
Median hourly $16.01
10th percentile $33,280
90th percentile $70,770
Employed locally 50
National median $34,830

Compare Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary & buying power

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Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other
in
Merced, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $33,280
    25th
    $33,280
    50th (median)
    $33,300
    75th
    $35,170
    90th
    $70,770

    Merced economic context

    Unemployment rate 9.80% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $65,044 2023 • Census ACS
    Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary vs area income 51% Median Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary is 49% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $77,840
    Hawaii $62,110
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $58,030
    Salem, OR $49,900
    Bend, OR $45,810
    Virgin Islands $43,410

    Nearby metros — Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $43,000
    Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area $39,840
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $38,960
    Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $37,900
    Napa, CA $37,790
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $37,680

    Related occupations in Merced, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $36,440
    Cooks, Fast Food $35,960
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,280
    Waiters and Waitresses $33,420
    Cooks, Restaurant $37,740
    Food Preparation Workers $35,140

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other make per hour in Merced?

    The median hourly wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other in Merced, CA is $16.01, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.33 or more per hour.

    Is Merced above or below average for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salaries?

    The median Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary in Merced, CA is 4.4% below the national median of $34,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other in Merced?

    Entry-level Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other (10th percentile) earn around $33,280 per year in Merced, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $33,280.