SOC 35-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — Bowling Green
Bowling Green, KY · 5 metro areas compared
In Bowling Green, KY the median wage is $31,550.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Bowling Green, KY the median wage is $31,550. That is 15.8% lower than the national median of $37,450. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $30,850 and $33,160. The lowest tenth earn under $25,580, while the highest tenth earn more than $38,750.
The area has 530 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 2.27 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Louisville/Jefferson County leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,370. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 246th of 279 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25,580 | −31.7% |
| 25th | $30,850 | −17.6% |
| Median (50th) | $31,550 | −15.8% |
| 75th | $33,160 | −11.5% |
| 90th | $38,750 | +3.5% |
| Mean | $32,360 | −13.6% |
Other metro areas in Kentucky
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville/Jefferson County | $37,370 | 2,700 | |
| 2 | Lexington | $36,470 | 1,410 | |
| 3 | Paducah | $35,310 | 440 | |
| 4 | Elizabethtown | $30,260 | 360 | |
| 5 | Owensboro | $30,170 | 330 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Bowling Green run 9.8% below the national average, so the median of $31,550 goes as far as $34,978 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 6.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$31,550as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$34,978US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $31,550 a year, 15.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $25,580 to $38,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 530 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Louisville/Jefferson County, at $37,370.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Bowling Green, KY?
The median annual wage is $31,550, or $15.17 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $37,450, so pay in Bowling Green, KY is 15.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Bowling Green, KY earns more than $38,750 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $25,580 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Louisville/Jefferson County, at $37,370 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 530 jobs in this occupation in Bowling Green, KY. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. 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.
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