SOC 35-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX · 10 metro areas compared
In Corpus Christi, TX the median wage is $30,470.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Corpus Christi, TX the median wage is $30,470. That is 18.6% lower than the national median of $37,450. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $27,540 and $35,840. The lowest tenth earn under $23,550, while the highest tenth earn more than $39,670.
The area has 300 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.56 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Dallas leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,370. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 364th of 399 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $23,550 | −37.1% |
| 25th | $27,540 | −26.5% |
| Median (50th) | $30,470 | −18.6% |
| 75th | $35,840 | −4.3% |
| 90th | $39,670 | +5.9% |
| Mean | $31,650 | −15.5% |
Other metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas | $37,370 | 6,620 | |
| 2 | College Station | $36,890 | 460 | |
| 3 | Austin | $36,670 | 2,210 | |
| 4 | Midland | $36,470 | 130 | |
| 5 | Houston | $35,660 | 4,890 | |
| 6 | San Antonio | $35,250 | 2,290 | |
| 7 | Killeen | $34,930 | 300 | |
| 8 | Sherman | $34,480 | 130 | |
| 9 | Waco | $34,410 | 280 | |
| 10 | Odessa | $34,330 | 90 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Corpus Christi run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $30,470 goes as far as $31,380 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 16.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$30,470as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$31,380US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $30,470 a year, 18.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $23,550 to $39,670 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 300 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Dallas, at $37,370.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Corpus Christi, TX?
The median annual wage is $30,470, or $14.65 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 Corpus Christi, TX is 18.6% 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 Corpus Christi, TX earns more than $39,670 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $23,550 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 Dallas, at $37,370 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 300 jobs in this occupation in Corpus Christi, TX. 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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