Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cooks, institution and cafeteria is $37,450, or $18.01 per hour. About 441,050 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $49,670 in Washington to $25,490 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $49,670 | $23.88 | 9,780 | 0.97 |
| 2 | Alaska | $48,580 | $23.36 | 1,430 | 1.55 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $47,790 | $22.98 | 7,430 | 0.72 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $47,770 | $22.97 | 1,570 | 0.88 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $46,570 | $22.39 | 1,190 | 0.84 |
| 6 | California | $46,390 | $22.31 | 31,660 | 0.61 |
| 7 | Vermont | $46,370 | $22.29 | 1,330 | 1.55 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $46,120 | $22.17 | 4,500 | 0.94 |
| 9 | New York | $45,880 | $22.06 | 17,670 | 0.64 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $45,450 | $21.85 | 1,500 | 0.75 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $45,370 | $21.81 | 1,720 | 0.89 |
| 12 | Oregon | $44,520 | $21.40 | 7,150 | 1.28 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $44,520 | $21.40 | 7,490 | 0.62 |
| 14 | Delaware | $44,080 | $21.19 | 2,680 | 1.95 |
| 15 | Maine | $43,490 | $20.91 | 1,790 | 0.98 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $43,460 | $20.90 | 7,890 | 0.94 |
| 17 | Colorado | $42,500 | $20.43 | 9,440 | 1.16 |
| 18 | Maryland | $41,380 | $19.89 | 3,370 | 0.43 |
| 19 | Arizona | $39,660 | $19.07 | 7,170 | 0.78 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $39,490 | $18.99 | 1,820 | 1.49 |
| 21 | Nevada | $39,430 | $18.96 | 1,650 | 0.38 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,650 | $18.58 | 9,890 | 1.19 |
| 23 | Utah | $38,200 | $18.36 | 5,610 | 1.14 |
| 24 | Virginia | $37,890 | $18.22 | 11,170 | 0.96 |
| 25 | Illinois | $37,440 | $18.00 | 22,840 | 1.32 |
| 26 | Montana | $37,150 | $17.86 | 2,290 | 1.58 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $36,940 | $17.76 | 1,570 | 1.97 |
| 28 | Michigan | $36,870 | $17.72 | 13,500 | 1.08 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $36,730 | $17.66 | 2,120 | 1.63 |
| 30 | Ohio | $36,720 | $17.65 | 23,440 | 1.49 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $36,540 | $17.57 | 24,490 | 1.42 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $36,470 | $17.54 | 3,160 | 1.28 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $36,390 | $17.50 | 4,410 | 1.52 |
| 34 | Florida | $36,250 | $17.43 | 25,100 | 0.89 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $36,140 | $17.38 | 11,170 | 0.80 |
| 36 | Indiana | $35,980 | $17.30 | 11,130 | 1.23 |
| 37 | Iowa | $35,810 | $17.22 | 8,860 | 2.00 |
| 38 | Idaho | $35,600 | $17.11 | 3,650 | 1.50 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $35,570 | $17.10 | 10,680 | 1.15 |
| 40 | Texas | $35,360 | $17.00 | 24,740 | 0.62 |
| 41 | Georgia | $35,090 | $16.87 | 8,220 | 0.59 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $34,960 | $16.81 | 7,850 | 1.20 |
| 43 | Missouri | $34,900 | $16.78 | 13,130 | 1.58 |
| 44 | Kansas | $31,950 | $15.36 | 7,570 | 1.86 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $31,550 | $15.17 | 11,540 | 2.03 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $30,240 | $14.54 | 6,530 | 1.77 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $29,740 | $14.30 | 4,420 | 2.22 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $29,270 | $14.07 | 10,790 | 2.23 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $27,390 | $13.17 | 6,420 | 1.95 |
| 50 | Alabama | $27,120 | $13.04 | 8,780 | 1.46 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $25,490 | $12.26 | 5,740 | 1.05 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make?
The median annual wage for cooks, institution and cafeteria in the United States is $37,450, or $18.01 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $28,480, and the top 10% earn $49,670.
How many cooks, institution and cafeteria are employed in the U.S.?
About 441,050 people work as cooks, institution and cafeteria nationwide.
Which state pays cooks, institution and cafeteria the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $49,670, followed by Alaska ($48,580) and Massachusetts ($47,790).
Which state pays cooks, institution and cafeteria the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $25,490.
Where are cooks, institution and cafeteria jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Oklahoma at 2.23×.