SOC 35-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — Portland
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA · 7 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Portland, OR comes to $45,800 a year, ahead of the national median of $37,450 by 22.3%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Portland, OR comes to $45,800 a year, ahead of the national median of $37,450 by 22.3%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $40,240 and $52,120. The lowest tenth earn under $37,810, while the highest tenth earn more than $58,440.
Employment stands at 3,920, or 3.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Bend leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $45,350. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 595th of 681 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,810 | +1.0% |
| 25th | $40,240 | +7.4% |
| Median (50th) | $45,800 | +22.3% |
| 75th | $52,120 | +39.2% |
| 90th | $58,440 | +56.0% |
| Mean | $47,030 | +25.6% |
Other metro areas in Oregon
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Portland run 3.4% above the national average, so the median of $45,800 buys what $44,294 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 18.3% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$45,800as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$44,294US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $45,800 a year, 22.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $37,810 to $58,440 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,920 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Bend, at $45,350.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Portland, OR?
The median annual wage is $45,800, or $22.02 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 Portland, OR is 22.3% higher. 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 Portland, OR earns more than $58,440 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $37,810 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 Bend, at $45,350 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,920 jobs in this occupation in Portland, OR. 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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