Cooks Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cookss 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 $37,080 ≈ $18/hr
National median salary $36,640
Total employment 2,651,090 nationwide
State-level and metro breakdowns aren’t published for this aggregate occupation group. National figures are shown above; browse a specific occupation for full state detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cooks make in the U.S.?
The median cooks salary in the United States is $36,640 per year (mean $37,080), and about 80% earn between $26,730 and $47,520.
How much do cooks make per hour?
Roughly $18 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $37,080 and 2,080 work hours per year.