Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the perishable prepared food manufacturing industry earns $51,055 per year ($24.55/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing Workers Earn?
At $51,055/year (equivalent to $24.55/hour for a full-time worker), perishable prepared food manufacturing wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical perishable prepared food manufacturing business employs 36 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average perishable prepared food manufacturing business generating $21.0M/year with 36 employees at $51,055 each, total payroll represents roughly 8.7% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a perishable prepared food manufacturingbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $66,372/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 36 employees = ~$1,837,980/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $24.55/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $21.0M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do perishable prepared food manufacturing employees make?
- The average perishable prepared food manufacturing employee earns $51,055 per year, which is equivalent to $24.55/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the perishable prepared food manufacturing industry?
- The perishable prepared food manufacturing industry employs 64,555 workers across 1,803 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 36 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).