How much does a food processing worker make?
Answer: A typical food processing worker in the United States makes $39,680 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 65,000 people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Food processing worker pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $32,210 | $39,680 | $47,950 | about 65,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $46,930 | about 610 |
| Kansas | $46,060 | about 560 |
| Illinois | $45,340 | about 3,000 |
| Arizona | $45,330 | about 600 |
| Missouri | $44,050 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can differ by state and by employer or food industry; BLS data for this occupation show differences across both. Experience, useful skills, duties, and whether a plant uses early, evening, or night shifts can matter too.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a food processing worker do?
All food processing workers not listed separately
What's a typical day like?
At a U.S. food plant, a worker may load ingredients, watch machine gauges, adjust a mix, and record each batch. They check the finished food and clean equipment and work areas; shifts may begin early, in the evening, or overnight.
How to get this job
In the United States, some jobs need no formal education, while others require or prefer a high-school diploma or equivalent. New workers learn on the job over a few weeks to months, practicing food-safety rules and equipment use.
Did you know?
In the wider U.S. food-processing field, some workers run machines that dry grapes into raisins or shape lollipops.
Earn more in the same field
Production jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/OOH/production/food-and-tobacco-processing-workers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-3099.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes513099.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY