SOC 35-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — Iowa
Iowa · 8 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Iowa is $35,810 per year, close to the national median of $37,450 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Iowa is $35,810 per year, close to the national median of $37,450 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $28,030 at the tenth percentile to more than $44,150 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $30,970 to $37,920.
Employment stands at 8,860, or 5.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Iowa ranks 37th by median wage. Dubuque leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $36,890. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 652nd of 711 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,030 | −25.2% |
| 25th | $30,970 | −17.3% |
| Median (50th) | $35,810 | −4.4% |
| 75th | $37,920 | +1.3% |
| 90th | $44,150 | +17.9% |
| Mean | $35,260 | −5.8% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Iowa
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubuque | $36,890 | 290 | |
| 2 | Iowa City | $36,670 | 510 | |
| 3 | Ames | $36,540 | 380 | |
| 4 | Cedar Rapids | $36,410 | 770 | |
| 5 | Des Moines | $36,320 | 1,670 | |
| 6 | Sioux City | $36,030 | 360 | |
| 7 | Davenport | $35,740 | 840 | |
| 8 | Waterloo | $35,680 | 500 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Iowa run 12.2% below the national average, so the median of $35,810 goes as far as $40,786 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 8.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$35,810as reported by BLSLocal price level
87.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$40,786US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $35,810 a year, 4.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $28,030 to $44,150 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 8,860 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 37th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Dubuque, at $36,890.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Iowa?
The median annual wage is $35,810, or $17.22 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 Iowa is 4.4% 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 Iowa earns more than $44,150 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $28,030 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 Dubuque, at $36,890 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 8,860 jobs in this occupation in Iowa. 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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