Cooks, All Other salary in the U.S.
Cooks, All Other in the U.S. earn a median of $37,690 a year ($18.12 an hour), based on BLS data for 19,350 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,040 for the lowest-paid 10% to $51,140 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $39,150, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, all other in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,040 | $13.00 |
| 25th percentile | $32,150 | $15.46 |
| Median | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| 75th percentile | $43,680 | $21.00 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| Average (mean) | $39,150 | $18.82 |
Half of cooks, all other earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,140.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,570.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,449.62 |
| Weekly | $724.81 |
| Hourly | $18.12 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, All Other salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $69,570 | n/a |
| Washington | $52,510 | 140 |
| Nevada | $51,220 | 320 |
| New Jersey | $46,080 | 280 |
| Indiana | $44,290 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $44,190 | 60 |
| Missouri | $43,990 | 70 |
| Colorado | $43,490 | 100 |
| New York | $43,000 | 1,090 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | 340 |
| California | $42,860 | 3,990 |
| Montana | $42,640 | 200 |
| Oregon | $42,020 | 450 |
| Arizona | $41,740 | 550 |
| Vermont | $41,250 | 160 |
| Hawaii | $39,870 | 100 |
| Florida | $39,520 | 710 |
| Connecticut | $37,190 | 220 |
| Michigan | $37,110 | 300 |
| Minnesota | $36,850 | 80 |
| Tennessee | $36,440 | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,220 | 660 |
| Illinois | $35,940 | n/a |
| Virginia | $35,810 | 480 |
| Ohio | $35,360 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $33,760 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $33,410 | n/a |
| Maryland | $32,150 | 610 |
| Texas | $32,150 | 4,650 |
| North Carolina | $31,120 | 150 |
| Arkansas | $30,780 | 90 |
| Louisiana | $28,930 | 430 |
| Iowa | $26,060 | 210 |
Best-paying metro areas for cooks, all other
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $57,320 | 80 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $53,910 | 80 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $51,220 | 290 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,780 | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,840 | 180 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,960 | 400 |
| Syracuse, NY | $45,970 | 30 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,740 | n/a |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $44,340 | 300 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $43,680 | 50 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $42,960 | n/a |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $42,890 | 300 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,860 | 1,120 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $42,630 | 830 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $41,820 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most cooks, all other
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,810 | $35,500 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,120 | $42,860 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,040 | $38,850 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 860 | $27,900 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 830 | $42,630 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 700 | $33,220 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 420 | $35,070 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 400 | $46,960 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 380 | $31,880 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 300 | $42,890 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 300 | $44,340 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 290 | $51,220 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 290 | $33,000 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 290 | $38,870 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 280 | $38,850 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Cooks, Private Household | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2019. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, all other make in the U.S.?
The median salary for cooks, all other in the U.S. is $37,690 a year, or $18.12 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,040 for the lowest-paid 10% to $51,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, all other make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of cooks, all other in the U.S. earn at least $51,140 a year. The top 25% earn $43,680 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, all other in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,040 a year, and a quarter of cooks, all other earn $32,150 or less.
How many cooks, all other work in the U.S.?
About 19,350 cooks, all other are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.