SOC 35-2015 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Short Order — Florence
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Florence, AL is $21,480 per year, substantially below the national median of $35,880 — a gap of 40.1%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Florence, AL is $21,480 per year, substantially below the national median of $35,880 — a gap of 40.1%. Pay ranges from under $19,940 at the tenth percentile to more than $28,800 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $20,600 to $28,610.
Employment stands at 90, or 1.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Birmingham leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $23,160. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 216th of 219 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $19,940 | −44.4% |
| 25th | $20,600 | −42.6% |
| Median (50th) | $21,480 | −40.1% |
| 75th | $28,610 | −20.3% |
| 90th | $28,800 | −19.7% |
| Mean | $24,360 | −32.1% |
Other metro areas in Alabama
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | $23,160 | — | |
| 2 | Huntsville | $22,510 | 320 | |
| 3 | Daphne | $22,330 | 190 | |
| 4 | Tuscaloosa | $22,110 | 150 | |
| 5 | Auburn | $21,860 | 120 | |
| 6 | Montgomery | $21,840 | — | |
| 7 | Dothan | $21,250 | — |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Florence run 11.2% below the national average, so the median of $21,480 goes as far as $24,189 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 32.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$21,480as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$24,189US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $21,480 a year, 40.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $19,940 to $28,800 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 90 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Birmingham, at $23,160.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Florence, AL?
The median annual wage is $21,480, or $10.33 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 $35,880, so pay in Florence, AL is 40.1% 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 Florence, AL earns more than $28,800 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $19,940 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 Birmingham, at $23,160 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 90 jobs in this occupation in Florence, AL. 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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