Cooks, Short Order Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cooks, short orders 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 $36,120 ≈ $17/hr
National median salary $35,880
Total employment 138,650 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -5.6%
Decline
Annual openings 20,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 151,100 → 142,700 (-8,400)
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$44,930
- Colorado$44,170
- Washington$43,990
- Rhode Island$43,410
- Arizona$43,360
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$24,860
- Pennsylvania$25,130
- Indiana$26,850
- Mississippi$27,140
- Texas$27,610
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,930 | $43,110 | $22 | +24.4% | 460 |
| 2 | Colorado | $44,170 | $42,450 | $21 | +22.3% | 1,900 |
| 3 | Washington | $43,990 | $42,760 | $21 | +21.8% | 1,700 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $43,410 | $46,250 | $21 | +20.2% | — |
| 5 | Arizona | $43,360 | $46,630 | $21 | +20% | 1,880 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $42,780 | $42,450 | $21 | +18.4% | 1,910 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $42,700 | $44,290 | $21 | +18.2% | 4,760 |
| 8 | California | $42,260 | $42,930 | $20 | +17% | 30,740 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $42,250 | $42,450 | $20 | +17% | — |
| 10 | New Jersey | $41,380 | $40,720 | $20 | +14.6% | 850 |
| 11 | Vermont | $41,030 | $38,830 | $20 | +13.6% | 670 |
| 12 | Alaska | $40,570 | $37,780 | $20 | +12.3% | 330 |
| 13 | Oregon | $39,790 | $38,550 | $19 | +10.2% | 1,780 |
| 14 | Idaho | $39,740 | $40,090 | $19 | +10% | 120 |
| 15 | Delaware | $38,960 | $38,500 | $19 | +7.9% | — |
| 16 | New York | $38,320 | $35,550 | $18 | +6.1% | 18,300 |
| 17 | Maryland | $38,290 | $36,800 | $18 | +6% | 3,250 |
| 18 | Utah | $37,990 | $38,010 | $18 | +5.2% | 320 |
| 19 | Illinois | $37,640 | $37,440 | $18 | +4.2% | 2,630 |
| 20 | Missouri | $37,390 | $38,490 | $18 | +3.5% | — |
| 21 | Maine | $36,730 | $35,360 | $18 | +1.7% | 1,120 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $36,560 | $37,150 | $18 | +1.2% | 750 |
| 23 | Nevada | $35,100 | $37,780 | $17 | -2.8% | 790 |
| 24 | Iowa | $34,960 | $34,090 | $17 | -3.2% | 1,160 |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,620 | $34,510 | $17 | -4.2% | 2,560 |
| 26 | Florida | $34,570 | $34,240 | $17 | -4.3% | 5,050 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $34,180 | $32,380 | $16 | -5.4% | 2,000 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $33,740 | $32,330 | $16 | -6.6% | 2,320 |
| 29 | Montana | $33,420 | $33,240 | $16 | -7.5% | — |
| 30 | Kentucky | $33,160 | $31,840 | $16 | -8.2% | 650 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $33,080 | $30,530 | $16 | -8.4% | 1,810 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $33,030 | $32,150 | $16 | -8.6% | 870 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $32,860 | $35,130 | $16 | -9% | 760 |
| 34 | Virginia | $32,600 | $31,200 | $16 | -9.7% | 3,350 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $31,680 | $31,290 | $15 | -12.3% | 3,170 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $31,620 | $30,210 | $15 | -12.5% | 2,510 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $31,560 | $30,510 | $15 | -12.6% | 160 |
| 38 | Ohio | $30,280 | $29,290 | $15 | -16.2% | 6,000 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $30,050 | $28,130 | $14 | -16.8% | 2,270 |
| 40 | Kansas | $29,600 | $27,400 | $14 | -18.1% | 640 |
| 41 | Georgia | $29,370 | $26,870 | $14 | -18.7% | 3,870 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $29,340 | $29,640 | $14 | -18.8% | 900 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $29,110 | $26,260 | $14 | -19.4% | 1,990 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $28,120 | $27,440 | $14 | -22.1% | 620 |
| 45 | Texas | $27,610 | $25,320 | $13 | -23.6% | 7,540 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $27,140 | $28,180 | $13 | -24.9% | 1,890 |
| 47 | Indiana | $26,850 | $21,940 | $13 | -25.7% | 2,940 |
| 48 | Pennsylvania | $25,130 | $19,910 | $12 | -30.4% | 3,510 |
| 49 | Alabama | $24,860 | $22,330 | $12 | -31.2% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 325 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corvallis, OR | $54,020 | $48,580 | 50 |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,870 | $49,560 | 830 |
| 3 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,180 | $45,480 | — |
| 4 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $48,140 | $52,560 | 110 |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,450 | $45,590 | 700 |
| 6 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,990 | $45,720 | 1,660 |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $45,790 | $46,250 | 4,430 |
| 8 | Barnstable Town, MA | $45,690 | $44,010 | 190 |
| 9 | Vallejo, CA | $45,360 | $44,070 | 240 |
| 10 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $44,780 | $41,640 | — |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing cooks, short orders (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $45,780 | $42,920 | 300 |
| 2 | Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $45,730 | $44,140 | 210 |
| 3 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $45,390 | $46,090 | 380 |
| 4 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $45,390 | $46,090 | 380 |
| 5 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $44,830 | $43,820 | 440 |
| 6 | Hospitals | $44,570 | $45,320 | 430 |
| 7 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $44,570 | $45,320 | 430 |
| 8 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $44,570 | $41,580 | 340 |
| 9 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $44,150 | $43,520 | 470 |
| 10 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $43,640 | $43,680 | 990 |
| 11 | Educational Services, Privately Owned | $41,540 | $38,960 | 100 |
| 12 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $41,540 | $41,440 | 100 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cooks, short order make in the U.S.?
The median cooks, short order salary in the United States is $35,880 per year (mean $36,120), and about 80% earn between $23,440 and $46,460.
How much do cooks, short order make per hour?
Roughly $17 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $36,120 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays cooks, short order the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for cooks, short order at $44,930 per year (median $43,110).
What is the job outlook for cooks, short order?
Employment is projected to change -5.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 20,600 openings per year.