Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary
The median pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria in the United States is $37,450 a year. About 441,050 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $28,480
- 25th percentile
- $32,440
- Median percentile
- $37,450
- 75th percentile
- $44,800
- 90th percentile
- $49,670
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- Washington $49,670
- Alaska $48,580
- Massachusetts $47,790
- Hawaii $47,770
- Rhode Island $46,570
- California $46,390
- Vermont $46,370
- Connecticut $46,120
- New York $45,880
- District of Columbia $45,450
- New Hampshire $45,370
- New Jersey $44,520
- Oregon $44,520
- Delaware $44,080
- Maine $43,490
- Minnesota $43,460
- Colorado $42,500
- Maryland $41,380
- Arizona $39,660
- North Dakota $39,490
- Nevada $39,430
- Wisconsin $38,650
- Utah $38,200
- Virginia $37,890
- Illinois $37,440
- Montana $37,150
- Wyoming $36,940
- Michigan $36,870
- South Dakota $36,730
- Ohio $36,720
- Pennsylvania $36,540
- New Mexico $36,470
- Nebraska $36,390
- Florida $36,250
- North Carolina $36,140
- Indiana $35,980
- Iowa $35,810
- Idaho $35,600
- Tennessee $35,570
- Texas $35,360
- Georgia $35,090
- South Carolina $34,960
- Missouri $34,900
- Kansas $31,950
- Kentucky $31,550
- Arkansas $30,240
- West Virginia $29,740
- Oklahoma $29,270
- Mississippi $27,390
- Alabama $27,120
- Louisiana $25,490
By metro area
- Kahului, HI $55,400
- San Jose, CA $51,880
- Mount Vernon, WA $51,620
- Seattle, WA $51,530
- Barnstable Town, MA $49,720
- Fairbanks, AK $49,340
- Bellingham, WA $49,320
- Bremerton, WA $49,280
- San Francisco, CA $49,140
- Olympia, WA $48,820
- Boston, MA $48,530
- Anchorage, AK $48,290
- Santa Maria, CA $48,210
- Napa, CA $48,060
- Boulder, CO $48,020
- Pittsfield, MA $47,740
- Burlington, VT $47,390
- Bridgeport, CT $47,380
- Hanford, CA $47,310
- Santa Rosa, CA $47,260
- Vallejo, CA $47,130
- San Diego, CA $47,100
- Portland, ME $47,000
- Ithaca, NY $46,870
- New York, NY $46,870
- Santa Cruz, CA $46,850
- Kennewick, WA $46,820
- Salinas, CA $46,820
- Urban Honolulu, HI $46,780
- Worcester, MA $46,780
- Yakima, WA $46,730
- Wenatchee, WA $46,690
- Hartford, CT $46,650
- Springfield, MA $46,440
- Providence, RI $46,350
- Walla Walla, WA $46,170
- New Haven, CT $46,000
- Portland, OR $45,800
- Kiryas Joel, NY $45,740
- Longview, WA $45,640
- Vineland, NJ $45,510
- Modesto, CA $45,480
- Los Angeles, CA $45,400
- Bend, OR $45,350
- Spokane, WA $45,330
- Denver, CO $45,070
- Sacramento, CA $45,020
- San Luis Obispo, CA $44,970
- Washington, DC $44,880
- Minneapolis, MN $44,830
- Salem, OR $44,690
- Manchester, NH $44,670
- Kingston, NY $44,650
- Oxnard, CA $44,570
- Norwich, CT $44,510
- Riverside, CA $44,470
- Salisbury, MD $44,430
- Merced, CA $44,410
- Bozeman, MT $44,260
- Redding, CA $44,250
- Grants Pass, OR $44,140
- Waterbury, CT $44,110
- Stockton, CA $43,950
- Yuba City, CA $43,940
- Bakersfield, CA $43,910
- Naples, FL $43,890
- Eugene, OR $43,820
- Lewiston, ME $43,730
- Albany, NY $43,550
- Reno, NV $43,270
- Rochester, MN $43,160
- Madison, WI $42,960
- Trenton, NJ $42,960
- Greeley, CO $42,950
- Bangor, ME $42,700
- Fresno, CA $42,580
- Medford, OR $42,450
- Buffalo, NY $41,860
- Visalia, CA $41,820
- Utica, NY $41,660
- Amherst Town, MA $41,470
- Chico, CA $41,380
- Dover, DE $41,370
- Fargo, ND $41,120
- El Centro, CA $40,980
- St. Cloud, MN $40,590
- Binghamton, NY $40,510
- Syracuse, NY $40,450
- Lexington Park, MD $40,420
- Mankato, MN $40,410
- Flagstaff, AZ $40,380
- Duluth, MN $40,300
- Ann Arbor, MI $40,250
- Atlantic City, NJ $40,240
- Glens Falls, NY $40,190
- Phoenix, AZ $40,120
- Albany, OR $40,000
- Salt Lake City, UT $39,870
- Fort Collins, CO $39,770
- Las Vegas, NV $39,560
- Santa Fe, NM $39,370
- Baltimore, MD $39,310
- Prescott Valley, AZ $39,190
- Grand Junction, CO $39,140
- Colorado Springs, CO $39,110
- La Crosse, WI $39,050
- Milwaukee, WI $38,980
- Durham, NC $38,970
- Corvallis, OR $38,950
- Hilton Head Island, SC $38,920
- Racine, WI $38,880
- Philadelphia, PA $38,870
- Traverse City, MI $38,780
- Sebastian, FL $38,730
- Rochester, NY $38,670
- Green Bay, WI $38,640
- Battle Creek, MI $38,580
- Lafayette, IN $38,580
- Allentown, PA $38,570
- Minot, ND $38,570