Paycheck Atlas

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Washington, DC

The median cooks, institution and cafeteria in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earns $44,880 a year, 20% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,869 a month.

10th percentile
$36,580
25th percentile
$39,570
Median percentile
$44,880
75th percentile
$47,110
90th percentile
$53,890

Based on 5,670 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$34,426 take-home a year
Gross pay$44,880
Federal income tax−$3,206
Social Security + Medicare−$3,433
District of Columbia income tax (approx.)−$3,815
Monthly take-home$2,869
Every two weeks$1,324

Does it go far here?

$41,218Median pay in Washington, DC is worth this at average US prices (local price level 108.9 vs 100).
71%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,027 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Washington, DC

JobMedian pay
Psychiatrists$246,990
Emergency Medicine Physicians$239,200
Family Medicine Physicians$225,140
General Internal Medicine Physicians$223,250
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$209,750
Physicians, All Other$208,710
Public Relations Managers$195,190
Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190

All cooks, institution and cafeteria salaries · Take-home pay in District of Columbia