SOC 35-2015 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Short Order — Texas
Texas · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay in Texas is $25,320 a year, 29.4% under the national median of $35,880 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay in Texas is $25,320 a year, 29.4% under the national median of $35,880 for this occupation. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $23,140 and $31,070. The lowest tenth earn under $21,850, while the highest tenth earn more than $36,320.
The area has 7,540 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.60 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Texas ranks number 46th out of 49 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, San Antonio records the highest median at $33,260. Of the 794 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 789th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $21,850 | −39.1% |
| 25th | $23,140 | −35.5% |
| Median (50th) | $25,320 | −29.4% |
| 75th | $31,070 | −13.4% |
| 90th | $36,320 | +1.2% |
| Mean | $27,610 | −23.0% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Texas
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Texas run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $25,320 goes as far as $26,076 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 27.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$25,320as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$26,076US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $25,320 a year, 29.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $21,850 to $36,320 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 7,540 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 46th of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Antonio, at $33,260.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Texas?
The median annual wage is $25,320, or $12.18 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 Texas is 29.4% 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 Texas earns more than $36,320 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $21,850 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 San Antonio, at $33,260 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 7,540 jobs in this occupation in Texas. 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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