Cooks, All Other Salaries by State

Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cooks, all others across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).

National mean salary $39,150 ≈ $19/hr
National median salary $37,690
Total employment 19,350 nationwide

Job Outlook, 2024–2034

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.

Projected growth +5.5% Faster than average
Annual openings 3,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 24,000 → 25,300 (+1,300)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential

Salary Map

Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.

Mean annual wage $30,000–$37,000 $37,000–$40,000 $40,000–$43,000 $43,000–$46,000 $46,000–$67,000 U.S. mean $39,150

💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States

  1. Massachusetts$66,760
  2. Washington$52,420
  3. Nevada$50,160
  4. Montana$48,600
  5. Vermont$47,890

📉 5 Lowest-Paying States

  1. Iowa$30,270
  2. Louisiana$31,640
  3. North Carolina$32,660
  4. Texas$33,130
  5. Tennessee$33,970
#StateMeanMedian Hourlyvs. U.S.Employment
1 Massachusetts $66,760 $69,570 $32 +70.5%
2 Washington $52,420 $52,510 $25 +33.9% 140
3 Nevada $50,160 $51,220 $24 +28.1% 320
4 Montana $48,600 $42,640 $23 +24.1% 200
5 Vermont $47,890 $41,250 $23 +22.3% 160
6 Indiana $47,000 $44,290 $23 +20.1% 30
7 North Dakota $46,200 $44,190 $22 +18% 60
8 New Jersey $45,970 $46,080 $22 +17.4% 280
9 New York $44,980 $43,000 $22 +14.9% 1,090
10 Missouri $44,860 $43,990 $22 +14.6% 70
11 Arizona $44,500 $41,740 $21 +13.7% 550
12 California $43,700 $42,860 $21 +11.6% 3,990
13 Illinois $43,460 $35,940 $21 +11%
14 Colorado $42,530 $43,490 $20 +8.6% 100
15 Virginia $42,290 $35,810 $20 +8% 480

Top-Paying Metro Areas

Highest median pay among 73 metro areas.

#Metro areaMedianMeanEmployment
1 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $57,320 $54,270 80
2 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $53,910 $53,780 80
3 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $51,220 $50,820 290
4 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $49,780 $47,110 40
5 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $47,840 $47,470 180
6 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $46,960 $46,160 400
7 Syracuse, NY $45,970 $50,610 30
8 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $44,740 $48,760
9 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $44,340 $42,950 300
10 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $43,680 $42,330 50

Pay by Industry

Highest-paying industries employing cooks, all others (BLS OEWS, by median).

#IndustryMedianMeanEmployment
1 Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services $59,670 $63,460 30
2 Engineering Services $59,670 $63,350 30
3 Inland Water Transportation $57,310 $56,030 90
4 Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations $54,920 $57,640
5 Water Transportation $54,810 $51,510 140
6 Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing $54,810 $51,040 250
7 Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps $54,680 $54,100 340
8 Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions $52,780 $53,080 30
9 Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions $52,780 $53,080 30
10 Casino Hotels $51,220 $50,680 240
11 Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries $50,940 $51,340 40
12 Management of Companies and Enterprises $49,290 $58,000 50

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do cooks, all other make in the U.S.?

The median cooks, all other salary in the United States is $37,690 per year (mean $39,150), and about 80% earn between $27,040 and $51,140.

How much do cooks, all other make per hour?

Roughly $19 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $39,150 and 2,080 work hours per year.

Which state pays cooks, all other the most?

Massachusetts has the highest average pay for cooks, all other at $66,760 per year (median $69,570).

What is the job outlook for cooks, all other?

Employment is projected to change +5.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 3,700 openings per year.