Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cooks, institution and cafeterias 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 $38,810 ≈ $19/hr
National median salary $37,450
Total employment 441,050 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 69,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 466,100 → 475,400 (+9,300)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Hawaii$52,100
- Washington$51,290
- Alaska$49,410
- Massachusetts$48,750
- California$47,900
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$27,300
- Mississippi$27,850
- Alabama$27,870
- Oklahoma$30,210
- West Virginia$31,470
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $52,100 | $47,770 | $25 | +34.2% | 1,570 |
| 2 | Washington | $51,290 | $49,670 | $25 | +32.2% | 9,780 |
| 3 | Alaska | $49,410 | $48,580 | $24 | +27.3% | 1,430 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $48,750 | $47,790 | $23 | +25.6% | 7,430 |
| 5 | California | $47,900 | $46,390 | $23 | +23.4% | 31,660 |
| 6 | New York | $46,850 | $45,880 | $23 | +20.7% | 17,670 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $46,620 | $46,570 | $22 | +20.1% | 1,190 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $46,320 | $46,120 | $22 | +19.4% | 4,500 |
| 9 | Vermont | $46,260 | $46,370 | $22 | +19.2% | 1,330 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $45,560 | $45,450 | $22 | +17.4% | 1,500 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $45,450 | $45,370 | $22 | +17.1% | 1,720 |
| 12 | Oregon | $45,220 | $44,520 | $22 | +16.5% | 7,150 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $44,110 | $44,520 | $21 | +13.7% | 7,490 |
| 14 | Colorado | $43,690 | $42,500 | $21 | +12.6% | 9,440 |
| 15 | Maine | $43,520 | $43,490 | $21 | +12.1% | 1,790 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $43,050 | $43,460 | $21 | +10.9% | 7,890 |
| 17 | Maryland | $42,750 | $41,380 | $21 | +10.2% | 3,370 |
| 18 | Delaware | $42,720 | $44,080 | $21 | +10.1% | 2,680 |
| 19 | Nevada | $41,850 | $39,430 | $20 | +7.8% | 1,650 |
| 20 | Arizona | $41,350 | $39,660 | $20 | +6.5% | 7,170 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $41,140 | $39,490 | $20 | +6% | 1,820 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $39,860 | $38,650 | $19 | +2.7% | 9,890 |
| 23 | Utah | $39,570 | $38,200 | $19 | +2% | 5,610 |
| 24 | Virginia | $39,500 | $37,890 | $19 | +1.8% | 11,170 |
| 25 | Illinois | $39,210 | $37,440 | $19 | +1% | 22,840 |
| 26 | Montana | $38,950 | $37,150 | $19 | +0.4% | 2,290 |
| 27 | Florida | $38,170 | $36,250 | $18 | -1.6% | 25,100 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $37,630 | $36,730 | $18 | -3% | 2,120 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $37,620 | $36,940 | $18 | -3.1% | 1,570 |
| 30 | Michigan | $37,370 | $36,870 | $18 | -3.7% | 13,500 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $37,310 | $36,390 | $18 | -3.9% | 4,410 |
| 32 | Ohio | $37,160 | $36,720 | $18 | -4.3% | 23,440 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $37,130 | $36,470 | $18 | -4.3% | 3,160 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $36,950 | $36,540 | $18 | -4.8% | 24,490 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,160 | $35,600 | $17 | -6.8% | 3,650 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $36,130 | $36,140 | $17 | -6.9% | 11,170 |
| 37 | Indiana | $35,910 | $35,980 | $17 | -7.5% | 11,130 |
| 38 | Georgia | $35,380 | $35,090 | $17 | -8.8% | 8,220 |
| 39 | Iowa | $35,260 | $35,810 | $17 | -9.1% | 8,860 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $35,260 | $35,570 | $17 | -9.1% | 10,680 |
| 41 | Missouri | $35,190 | $34,900 | $17 | -9.3% | 13,130 |
| 42 | Texas | $34,870 | $35,360 | $17 | -10.2% | 24,740 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $33,790 | $31,550 | $16 | -12.9% | 11,540 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $33,270 | $34,960 | $16 | -14.3% | 7,850 |
| 45 | Kansas | $32,990 | $31,950 | $16 | -15% | 7,570 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $32,720 | $30,240 | $16 | -15.7% | 6,530 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $31,470 | $29,740 | $15 | -18.9% | 4,420 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $30,210 | $29,270 | $15 | -22.2% | 10,790 |
| 49 | Alabama | $27,870 | $27,120 | $13 | -28.2% | 8,780 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $27,850 | $27,390 | $13 | -28.2% | 6,420 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $27,300 | $25,490 | $13 | -29.7% | 5,740 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 519 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $56,480 | $54,620 | 240 |
| 2 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $55,400 | $57,770 | 250 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $51,880 | $54,290 | 2,640 |
| 4 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $51,620 | $51,930 | 240 |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,530 | $53,820 | 5,380 |
| 6 | Barnstable Town, MA | $49,720 | $52,850 | 170 |
| 7 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $49,340 | $51,500 | 170 |
| 8 | Bellingham, WA | $49,320 | $49,870 | 250 |
| 9 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $49,280 | $48,680 | 240 |
| 10 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,140 | $52,440 | 4,280 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing cooks, institution and cafeterias (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $56,100 | $57,810 | 2,760 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $56,100 | $57,810 | 2,760 |
| 3 | Inland Water Transportation | $52,110 | $49,340 | 280 |
| 4 | Support Activities for Transportation | $50,980 | $60,120 | 60 |
| 5 | Support Activities for Water Transportation | $50,980 | $60,610 | 50 |
| 6 | Water Transportation | $49,710 | $47,750 | 500 |
| 7 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, State Government Owned | $49,200 | $49,590 | 1,040 |
| 8 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $49,070 | $48,930 | 310 |
| 9 | Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $48,820 | $49,130 | 30 |
| 10 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | $48,310 | $45,790 | 100 |
| 11 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $47,680 | $46,560 | 30 |
| 12 | Hospitals, State Government Owned | $47,220 | $47,250 | 2,120 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in the U.S.?
The median cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in the United States is $37,450 per year (mean $38,810), and about 80% earn between $28,480 and $49,670.
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make per hour?
Roughly $19 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $38,810 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays cooks, institution and cafeteria the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria at $52,100 per year (median $47,770).
What is the job outlook for cooks, institution and cafeteria?
Employment is projected to change +2% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 69,700 openings per year.