Cooks, Short Order · Tennessee

Cooks, Short Order Salary in Tennessee

Cooks, Short Order in Tennessee earn a median annual wage of $30,210 —15.8% below the national median of $35,880. That ranks TN #37 of 49 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$30,210
Median hourly
$14.52
Entry level (P10)
$22,880
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$39,240
90th percentile
Employment
2,510
0.8 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-15.8%
U.S. $35,880

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$22,880
$26,780
$30,210
$36,350
$22,880$30,210$39,240
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $30,210.

Employment concentration (0.86×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for cooks, short order

All 49 states ranked by median annual wage. Tennessee is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Arizona$46,630$22.421,8800.65
2Rhode Island$46,250$22.24——
3Massachusetts$44,290$21.294,7601.47
4Hawaii$43,110$20.734600.83
5California$42,930$20.6430,7401.89
6Washington$42,760$20.561,7000.54
7District of Columbia$42,450$20.411,9103.05
8Connecticut$42,450$20.41——
9Colorado$42,450$20.411,9000.74
10New Jersey$40,720$19.588500.22

Related occupations in Tennessee

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Tennessee.

OccupationTennessee medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$27,470$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$27,760$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$36,420$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$40,500$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$28,700$35,320
Bartenders$27,480$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do cooks, short order make in Tennessee?

The median annual wage for cooks, short order in Tennessee is $30,210, or $14.52 per hour. That is 15.8% below the national median of $35,880.

What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in Tennessee?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $22,880 per year ($11.00/hour). The 25th percentile is $26,780.

How many people work as cooks, short order in Tennessee?

About 2,510 people work in this occupation in Tennessee, or 0.8 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Tennessee a good state for cooks, short order?

Tennessee ranks #37 of 49 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.86x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays cooks, short order the most?

Arizona has the highest median wage at $46,630 per year, followed by Rhode Island ($46,250) and Massachusetts ($44,290).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes