SOC 35-2012 · May 2025 · United States
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria across the United States is $37,450 per year, measured over 441,050 jobs. The highest state median is in Washington, at $49,670.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.0%
- Openings per year
- 69,700
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Pay for this occupation varies by 94.9% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Washington pays $49,670 and Louisiana pays $25,490.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $49,670 | 9,780 | |
| 2 | Alaska | $48,580 | 1,430 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $47,790 | 7,430 | |
| 4 | Hawaii | $47,770 | 1,570 | |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $46,570 | 1,190 | |
| 6 | California | $46,390 | 31,660 | |
| 7 | Vermont | $46,370 | 1,330 | |
| 8 | Connecticut | $46,120 | 4,500 | |
| 9 | New York | $45,880 | 17,670 | |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $45,450 | 1,500 |
States with the most Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 31,660 | $46,390 | |
| 2 | Florida | 25,100 | $36,250 | |
| 3 | Texas | 24,740 | $35,360 | |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 24,490 | $36,540 | |
| 5 | Ohio | 23,440 | $36,720 | |
| 6 | Illinois | 22,840 | $37,440 | |
| 7 | New York | 17,670 | $45,880 | |
| 8 | Michigan | 13,500 | $36,870 | |
| 9 | Missouri | 13,130 | $34,900 | |
| 10 | Kentucky | 11,540 | $31,550 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului | $55,400 | 250 |
| 2 | San Jose | $51,880 | 2,640 |
| 3 | Mount Vernon | $51,620 | 240 |
| 4 | Seattle | $51,530 | 5,380 |
| 5 | Barnstable Town | $49,720 | 170 |
| 6 | Fairbanks | $49,340 | 170 |
| 7 | Bellingham | $49,320 | 250 |
| 8 | Bremerton | $49,280 | 240 |
| 9 | San Francisco | $49,140 | 4,280 |
| 10 | Olympia | $48,820 | 290 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data