Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary — US State Breakdown (2025)
BLS OES May 2025 · SOC 35-2012$37,450
US median (annual)
$38,810
US mean (annual)
$28,480
10th percentile
$49,670
90th percentile
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US Salary Overview
The national median wage for cooks, institution and cafeteria in the United States is $37,450 per year (gross, before tax), based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Around 441,000 people are employed in this occupation nationally. UK data is not available for this occupation — the UK's SOC 2020 classification has no direct equivalent. Before interviews, many candidates work through interview preparation guides for this kind of role.
US Salary Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual (gross) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,480 | Entry level / lowest decile |
| 25th | $32,440 | Early career |
| 50th (median) | $37,450 | Typical pay |
| 75th | $44,800 | Experienced |
| 90th | $49,670 | Senior / highest decile |
Career Essentials
Median Salary by State
| State | Median salary | Mean salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $49,670 | $51,290 | 10,000 |
| Alaska | $48,580 | $49,410 | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $47,790 | $48,750 | 7,000 |
| Hawaii | $47,770 | $52,100 | 2,000 |
| Rhode Island | $46,570 | $46,620 | 1,000 |
| California | $46,390 | $47,900 | 32,000 |
| Vermont | $46,370 | $46,260 | 1,000 |
| Connecticut | $46,120 | $46,320 | 4,000 |
| New York | $45,880 | $46,850 | 18,000 |
| District of Columbia | $45,450 | $45,560 | 2,000 |
| New Hampshire | $45,370 | $45,450 | 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $44,520 | $44,110 | 7,000 |
| Oregon | $44,520 | $45,220 | 7,000 |
| Delaware | $44,080 | $42,720 | 3,000 |
| Maine | $43,490 | $43,520 | 2,000 |
| Minnesota | $43,460 | $43,050 | 8,000 |
| Colorado | $42,500 | $43,690 | 9,000 |
| Maryland | $41,380 | $42,750 | 3,000 |
| Arizona | $39,660 | $41,350 | 7,000 |
| North Dakota | $39,490 | $41,140 | 2,000 |
| Nevada | $39,430 | $41,850 | 2,000 |
| Wisconsin | $38,650 | $39,860 | 10,000 |
| Utah | $38,200 | $39,570 | 6,000 |
| Virginia | $37,890 | $39,500 | 11,000 |
| Illinois | $37,440 | $39,210 | 23,000 |
| Montana | $37,150 | $38,950 | 2,000 |
| Wyoming | $36,940 | $37,620 | 2,000 |
| Michigan | $36,870 | $37,370 | 14,000 |
| South Dakota | $36,730 | $37,630 | 2,000 |
| Ohio | $36,720 | $37,160 | 23,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,540 | $36,950 | 24,000 |
| New Mexico | $36,470 | $37,130 | 3,000 |
| Nebraska | $36,390 | $37,310 | 4,000 |
| Florida | $36,250 | $38,170 | 25,000 |
| North Carolina | $36,140 | $36,130 | 11,000 |
| Indiana | $35,980 | $35,910 | 11,000 |
| Iowa | $35,810 | $35,260 | 9,000 |
| Idaho | $35,600 | $36,160 | 4,000 |
| Tennessee | $35,570 | $35,260 | 11,000 |
| Guam | $35,540 | $32,050 | 100 |
| Texas | $35,360 | $34,870 | 25,000 |
| Georgia | $35,090 | $35,380 | 8,000 |
| South Carolina | $34,960 | $33,270 | 8,000 |
| Missouri | $34,900 | $35,190 | 13,000 |
| Kansas | $31,950 | $32,990 | 8,000 |
| Kentucky | $31,550 | $33,790 | 12,000 |
| Virgin Islands | $30,440 | $29,250 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $30,240 | $32,720 | 7,000 |
| West Virginia | $29,740 | $31,470 | 4,000 |
| Oklahoma | $29,270 | $30,210 | 11,000 |
| Mississippi | $27,390 | $27,850 | 6,000 |
| Alabama | $27,120 | $27,870 | 9,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,260 | $28,030 | 7,000 |
| Louisiana | $25,490 | $27,300 | 6,000 |
Salary data is sourced from BLS OES May 2025. Figures represent gross pay before tax. This page is for reference only.
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Data: BLS OES, May 2025 · Page built 2026-07-18