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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in the U.S.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the U.S. earn a median of $37,450 a year ($18.01 an hour), based on BLS data for 441,050 workers.

Median salary
$37,450
Hourly
$18.01
Average
$38,810
Top 10% earn
$49,670
Workers
441,050

Pay ranges from $28,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,670 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $38,810, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for cooks, institution and cafeteria in the U.S.

$0$60,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$28,480$13.69
25th percentile$32,440$15.60
Median$37,450$18.01
75th percentile$44,800$21.54
90th percentile (top earners)$49,670$23.88
Average (mean)$38,810$18.66

Half of cooks, institution and cafeteria 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 periodAmount
Monthly$3,120.83
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$1,560.42
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,440.38
Weekly$720.19
Hourly$18.01

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Washington$49,6709,780
Alaska$48,5801,430
Massachusetts$47,7907,430
Hawaii$47,7701,570
Rhode Island$46,5701,190
California$46,39031,660
Vermont$46,3701,330
Connecticut$46,1204,500
New York$45,88017,670
District of Columbia$45,4501,500
New Hampshire$45,3701,720
New Jersey$44,5207,490
Oregon$44,5207,150
Delaware$44,0802,680
Maine$43,4901,790
Minnesota$43,4607,890
Colorado$42,5009,440
Maryland$41,3803,370
Arizona$39,6607,170
North Dakota$39,4901,820
Nevada$39,4301,650
Wisconsin$38,6509,890
Utah$38,2005,610
Virginia$37,89011,170
Illinois$37,44022,840
Montana$37,1502,290
Wyoming$36,9401,570
Michigan$36,87013,500
South Dakota$36,7302,120
Ohio$36,72023,440
Pennsylvania$36,54024,490
New Mexico$36,4703,160
Nebraska$36,3904,410
Florida$36,25025,100
North Carolina$36,14011,170
Indiana$35,98011,130
Iowa$35,8108,860
Idaho$35,6003,650
Tennessee$35,57010,680
Guam$35,540100
Texas$35,36024,740
Georgia$35,0908,220
South Carolina$34,9607,850
Missouri$34,90013,130
Kansas$31,9507,570
Kentucky$31,55011,540
Virgin Islands$30,440110
Arkansas$30,2406,530
West Virginia$29,7404,420
Oklahoma$29,27010,790
Mississippi$27,3906,420
Alabama$27,1208,780
Puerto Rico$26,2607,000
Louisiana$25,4905,740

Best-paying metro areas for cooks, institution and cafeteria

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$55,400250
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$51,8802,640
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$51,620240
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$51,5305,380
Barnstable Town, MA$49,720170
Fairbanks-College, AK$49,340170
Bellingham, WA$49,320250
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$49,280240
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$49,1404,280
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$48,820290
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$48,5305,310
Anchorage, AK$48,290530
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$48,210430
Napa, CA$48,060130
Boulder, CO$48,020820

Metro areas with the most cooks, institution and cafeteria

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ15,270$46,870
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN14,010$38,290
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA9,860$45,400
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD9,810$38,870
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX6,620$37,370
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL6,220$36,480
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV5,670$44,880
St. Louis, MO-IL5,410$36,200
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA5,380$51,530
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH5,310$48,530
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI4,910$37,360
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX4,890$35,660
Pittsburgh, PA4,890$36,100
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ4,700$40,120
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI4,490$44,830

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Cooks, Restaurant$37,390$17.98
Food Preparation Worker$35,320$16.98
Cooks, Fast Food$30,890$14.85
Cooks, Short Order$35,880$17.25
Cooks, All Other$37,690$18.12
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

More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2012. 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, institution and cafeteria make in the U.S.?

The median salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in the U.S. is $37,450 a year, or $18.01 an hour. Pay ranges from $28,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,670 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid cooks, institution and cafeteria make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of cooks, institution and cafeteria in the U.S. earn at least $49,670 a year. The top 25% earn $44,800 or more.

What is the starting pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $28,480 a year, and a quarter of cooks, institution and cafeteria earn $32,440 or less.

How many cooks, institution and cafeteria work in the U.S.?

About 441,050 cooks, institution and cafeteria are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.