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Preparator salary
Average preparator salary
$47,473
Average Preparator Salary
A preparator's salary typically averages around $47,473 annually, translating to approximately $23 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry within which the preparator works.
Salary by State
For example, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living. In contrast, states with lower living costs may present lower average salaries. Understanding these variations is crucial for anyone considering a career as a preparator.
Experience Levels
Entry-level preparators might start at a lower salary, but with experience and specialized skills, salaries can increase. Those in senior or specialized roles can command significantly higher compensation. It's essential for prospective preparators to assess how their unique skills and experiences can impact their earning potential.
Career Opportunities
To maximize earning potential, research the highest-paying preparator jobs in your area. Consider industries that value preparators highly, such as the arts, science, or education sectors.
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Where can a Preparator earn more?
Preparator salaries by experience level
Preparator salary estimates from across the web
Average preparator salary by state
The highest-paying states for preparators are New York, Rhode Island, and Alaska. The lowest average preparator salary states are Arkansas, Alabama, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for preparators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $67,285 | $32.35 |
| 2 | Maine | $60,732 | $29.20 |
| 3 | New York | $80,658 | $38.78 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $75,260 | $36.18 |
| 5 | Vermont | $60,599 | $29.13 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $61,783 | $29.70 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $65,893 | $31.68 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $60,814 | $29.24 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $56,551 | $27.19 |
| 10 | Michigan | $46,348 | $22.28 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $57,294 | $27.55 |
| 12 | Delaware | $56,598 | $27.21 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $51,160 | $24.60 |
| 14 | California | $51,514 | $24.77 |
| 15 | Maryland | $52,126 | $25.06 |
| 16 | Virginia | $49,769 | $23.93 |
| 17 | Illinois | $40,523 | $19.48 |
| 18 | Texas | $40,424 | $19.43 |
| 19 | Ohio | $40,313 | $19.38 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $42,562 | $20.46 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $41,615 | $20.01 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $37,384 | $17.97 |
| 23 | Arizona | $40,248 | $19.35 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $41,019 | $19.72 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $38,763 | $18.64 |
| 26 | Colorado | $39,136 | $18.82 |
| 27 | Iowa | $34,568 | $16.62 |
| 28 | Indiana | $38,665 | $18.59 |
| 29 | Oregon | $34,318 | $16.50 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $37,338 | $17.95 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $34,041 | $16.37 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $36,348 | $17.48 |
| 33 | Nevada | $35,948 | $17.28 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $31,684 | $15.23 |
| 35 | Utah | $32,096 | $15.43 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $39,346 | $18.92 |
| 37 | Washington | $35,993 | $17.30 |
| 38 | Florida | $33,809 | $16.25 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $32,718 | $15.73 |
| 40 | Montana | $29,958 | $14.40 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $28,510 | $13.71 |
| 42 | Alabama | $29,023 | $13.95 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $30,375 | $14.60 |
| 44 | Missouri | $29,687 | $14.27 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $29,803 | $14.33 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $30,235 | $14.54 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $29,575 | $14.22 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $26,901 | $12.93 |
| 49 | Georgia | $30,626 | $14.72 |
| 50 | Kansas | $28,548 | $13.72 |
| 51 | Idaho | $24,266 | $11.67 |
Highest paying cities for preparators
The highest-paying cities for preparators are New York, NY, Boston, MA, and Cherry Hill, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $81,626 | $39.24 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $60,234 | $28.96 |
| 3 | Cherry Hill, NJ | $56,527 | $27.18 |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $54,389 | $26.15 |
| 5 | Menlo Park, CA | $52,881 | $25.42 |
| 6 | Frederick, MD | $51,519 | $24.77 |
| 7 | El Paso, TX | $44,445 | $21.37 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $44,268 | $21.28 |
| 9 | Grand Rapids, MI | $43,568 | $20.95 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $41,052 | $19.74 |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $40,550 | $19.50 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $39,082 | $18.79 |
| 13 | Lakeland, FL | $33,838 | $16.27 |
| 14 | Bozeman, MT | $29,021 | $13.95 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $28,939 | $13.91 |
| 16 | Lebanon, TN | $28,854 | $13.87 |
Preparator salary details
A preparator's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $100,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a preparator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $100,000 | $8,333 | $48 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| Average | $47,473 | $3,956 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying preparator jobs
The highest paying types of preparators are deli clerk, catering assistant, and seafood clerk.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Helper | $25,796 | $2,150 | $12.40 | 80,202 |
| Seafood Clerk | $31,941 | $2,662 | $15.36 | 66,540 |
| Deli Clerk | $32,240 | $2,687 | $15.50 | 69,311 |
| Food Clerk | $29,967 | $2,497 | $14.41 | 113,838 |
| Sandwich Artist | $23,564 | $1,964 | $11.33 | 7,813 |
| Kitchen Staff | $29,816 | $2,485 | $14.33 | 154,513 |
Top companies hiring preparators now:
Which companies pay preparators the most?
Preparator salaries at Schaeffler and Binghamton University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average preparator salary at companies like Princeton University and University of California, Berkeley are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schaeffler | $94,855 | $45.60 |
| 2 | Binghamton University | $78,389 | $37.69 |
| 3 | Princeton University | $78,103 | $37.55 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | $77,228 | $37.13 |
| 5 | Frazier History Museum | $69,766 | $33.54 |
| 6 | Textron | $68,427 | $32.90 |
| 7 | Dartmouth | $67,859 | $32.62 |
| 8 | The University of Kansas Health System | $56,819 | $27.32 |
| 9 | Silver Diner | $50,955 | $24.50 |
| 10 | LAUNCH Technical Workforce Solutions | $43,186 | $20.76 |
| 11 | The Ohio State University | $43,071 | $20.71 |
| 12 | Lulu.com | $37,350 | $17.96 |
| 13 | Rooms To Go | $36,497 | $17.55 |
| 14 | NC.gov | $36,416 | $17.51 |
| 15 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | $35,175 | $16.91 |
| 16 | American Museum of Natural History | $35,041 | $16.85 |
| 17 | Kimco Realty | $34,415 | $16.55 |
| 18 | Denver Museum of Nature & Science | $34,039 | $16.36 |
| 19 | Chicken Salad Chick | $33,727 | $16.21 |
| 20 | Museum of Science and Industry | $33,264 | $15.99 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Preparator salary by industry
The average preparator salary varies across industries:
- The average preparator salary in the hospitality industry is $56,708, the highest of any industry.
- The average preparator salary in the finance industry is $55,758.
- Preparators in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $40,922, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for preparators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $56,708 | $27.26 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $55,758 | $26.81 |
| 3 | Retail | $52,850 | $25.41 |
| 4 | Education | $50,541 | $24.30 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $40,922 | $19.67 |
High paying preparator jobs
Preparator salary trends
The average preparator salary has risen by $12,383 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average preparator earned $35,090 annually, but today, they earn $47,473 a year. That works out to a 22% change in pay for preparators over the last decade.
Compare preparator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average preparator salary over time
Compare preparator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Preparator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $47,500 | $22.82 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $45,200 | $21.71 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $43,200 | $20.78 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $41,400 | $19.90 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | $39,000 | $18.77 | +5.9% |
Recently added preparator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State University | Science Laboratory Preparator | Corvallis, OR | 06/30/2025 | $45,434 |
| Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. | Preparation Touch-Up | The Colony, TX | 06/27/2025 | $38,776 |
| Lucas Museum of Narrative Art | Assistant Preparator | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $57,100 |
| Enterprise | Preparador de Vehiculos-Aguadilla Airport | Aguadilla, PR | 06/20/2025 | $22,435 |
| Tacombi | EL Preparador (Prep Cook) | Chicago, IL | 06/11/2025 | $37,566 |
| Jackson Hewitt | Preparador de Impuestos Estacionales EN Walmart | Lemon Grove, CA | 06/07/2025 | $35,479 |
| Robert Rauschenberg Foundation | Preparator (Fixed-Term/Temporary Coverage) | Mount Vernon, NY | 05/26/2025 | $73,045 |
| Bertrand Music Enterprises | Seasonal Quality Control Instrument Preparer | San Marcos, CA | 05/22/2025 | $34,436 |
| Oregon State University | Science Laboratory Preparator | Corvallis, OR | 05/16/2025 | $45,434 |
| Aon Corporation | Forensic Accouting-Claim Preparation-Business Intruption | New York, NY | 05/12/2025 | $120,000 |
Preparator salary FAQs
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