Cooks, Restaurant Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cooks, restaurants 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 $38,730 ≈ $19/hr
National median salary $37,390
Total employment 1,409,890 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +14.9%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 250,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 1,460,200 → 1,677,200 (+217,000)
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
- Washington$47,200
- Hawaii$47,080
- District of Columbia$45,570
- Massachusetts$45,450
- Maine$45,240
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$29,770
- Louisiana$30,630
- West Virginia$30,950
- Arkansas$31,650
- Alabama$33,000
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $47,200 | $46,800 | $23 | +21.9% | 35,140 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $47,080 | $45,420 | $23 | +21.6% | 11,090 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $45,570 | $46,130 | $22 | +17.7% | 7,720 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $45,450 | $45,600 | $22 | +17.4% | 29,570 |
| 5 | Maine | $45,240 | $45,290 | $22 | +16.8% | 5,130 |
| 6 | California | $45,020 | $44,880 | $22 | +16.2% | 152,250 |
| 7 | Oregon | $44,130 | $43,100 | $21 | +13.9% | 21,550 |
| 8 | Vermont | $43,680 | $45,390 | $21 | +12.8% | 2,360 |
| 9 | New York | $43,150 | $43,680 | $21 | +11.4% | 71,530 |
| 10 | Colorado | $42,360 | $41,600 | $20 | +9.4% | 30,600 |
| 11 | Nevada | $42,130 | $38,610 | $20 | +8.8% | 27,250 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $42,110 | $39,480 | $20 | +8.7% | 14,830 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $41,990 | $40,200 | $20 | +8.4% | 7,190 |
| 14 | Alaska | $41,770 | $40,140 | $20 | +7.8% | 2,350 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $40,770 | $38,460 | $20 | +5.3% | 28,800 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $40,290 | $36,510 | $19 | +4% | 6,950 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $40,210 | $38,590 | $19 | +3.8% | 26,080 |
| 18 | Maryland | $40,120 | $37,820 | $19 | +3.6% | 17,690 |
| 19 | Arizona | $40,070 | $38,670 | $19 | +3.5% | 30,870 |
| 20 | Illinois | $39,520 | $37,580 | $19 | +2% | 53,540 |
| 21 | Delaware | $39,190 | $37,840 | $19 | +1.2% | 5,280 |
| 22 | Montana | $38,980 | $38,060 | $19 | +0.6% | 7,580 |
| 23 | Missouri | $38,460 | $36,940 | $18 | -0.7% | 25,990 |
| 24 | Florida | $38,320 | $37,020 | $18 | -1.1% | 124,040 |
| 25 | Virginia | $38,180 | $36,750 | $18 | -1.4% | 40,310 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $37,950 | $36,830 | $18 | -2% | 2,710 |
| 27 | Michigan | $37,570 | $36,980 | $18 | -3% | 39,100 |
| 28 | Utah | $37,340 | $36,490 | $18 | -3.6% | 10,520 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $37,190 | $37,030 | $18 | -4% | 4,750 |
| 30 | Idaho | $36,970 | $36,440 | $18 | -4.5% | 8,130 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $36,720 | $36,220 | $18 | -5.2% | 1,890 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $36,690 | $36,470 | $18 | -5.3% | 4,490 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $36,690 | $36,550 | $18 | -5.3% | 25,410 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $36,530 | $36,420 | $18 | -5.7% | 28,220 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $35,750 | $36,580 | $17 | -7.7% | 54,100 |
| 36 | Iowa | $35,700 | $35,670 | $17 | -7.8% | 12,270 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $35,610 | $35,740 | $17 | -8.1% | 25,890 |
| 38 | Ohio | $35,280 | $35,540 | $17 | -8.9% | 46,910 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $35,140 | $35,400 | $17 | -9.3% | 50,150 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $35,070 | $35,020 | $17 | -9.5% | 7,810 |
| 41 | Kansas | $34,900 | $35,130 | $17 | -9.9% | 11,620 |
| 42 | Georgia | $34,430 | $35,940 | $17 | -11.1% | 46,350 |
| 43 | Indiana | $34,150 | $35,170 | $16 | -11.8% | 26,960 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $33,920 | $31,720 | $16 | -12.4% | 17,050 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $33,700 | $34,640 | $16 | -13% | 13,510 |
| 46 | Texas | $33,370 | $34,760 | $16 | -13.8% | 126,620 |
| 47 | Alabama | $33,000 | $32,180 | $16 | -14.8% | 16,260 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $31,650 | $30,180 | $15 | -18.3% | 11,270 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $30,950 | $29,590 | $15 | -20.1% | 6,450 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $30,630 | $29,050 | $15 | -20.9% | 14,910 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $29,770 | $29,560 | $14 | -23.1% | 10,770 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 519 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $49,560 | $54,460 | 1,770 |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $47,730 | $49,000 | 20,850 |
| 3 | Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $47,480 | $46,820 | 540 |
| 4 | Napa, CA | $47,320 | $47,830 | 1,270 |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,170 | $49,390 | 8,900 |
| 6 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $47,060 | $48,830 | 2,360 |
| 7 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $46,830 | 1,760 |
| 8 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $46,560 | $46,670 | 2,730 |
| 9 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $46,460 | $46,520 | 1,090 |
| 10 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $46,450 | $46,240 | 590 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing cooks, restaurants (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $62,260 | $59,330 | — |
| 2 | Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | $60,270 | $58,090 | — |
| 3 | Office Administrative Services | $53,840 | $50,160 | — |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $48,880 | $53,080 | 420 |
| 5 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $48,880 | $53,080 | 420 |
| 6 | Grantmaking and Giving Services | $46,700 | $45,780 | — |
| 7 | Casino Hotels | $46,690 | $46,790 | 16,420 |
| 8 | Personal Care Services | $46,260 | $44,990 | 40 |
| 9 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $46,210 | $48,080 | 60 |
| 10 | Land Subdivision | $46,210 | $48,080 | 60 |
| 11 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Privately Owned | $45,760 | $46,560 | 40 |
| 12 | Facilities Support Services | $45,650 | $47,610 | 120 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make in the U.S.?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the United States is $37,390 per year (mean $38,730), and about 80% earn between $28,700 and $47,900.
How much do cooks, restaurant make per hour?
Roughly $19 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $38,730 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays cooks, restaurant the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for cooks, restaurant at $47,200 per year (median $46,800).
What is the job outlook for cooks, restaurant?
Employment is projected to change +14.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 250,700 openings per year.