Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$28,480
- 25th Percentile — Junior$32,440
- 50th Percentile — Median$37,450
- 75th Percentile — Senior$44,800
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$49,670
The top 10% of Cooks Institution and Cafeteria earn $49,670 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $28,480, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $52,100 | +34.2% |
| Washington | $51,290 | +32.2% |
| Alaska | $49,410 | +27.3% |
| Massachusetts | $48,750 | +25.6% |
| California | $47,900 | +23.4% |
| New York | $46,850 | +20.7% |
| Rhode Island | $46,620 | +20.1% |
| Connecticut | $46,320 | +19.4% |
| Vermont | $46,260 | +19.2% |
| District of Columbia | $45,560 | +17.4% |
| New Hampshire | $45,450 | +17.1% |
| Oregon | $45,220 | +16.5% |
| New Jersey | $44,110 | +13.7% |
| Colorado | $43,690 | +12.6% |
| Maine | $43,520 | +12.1% |
| Minnesota | $43,050 | +10.9% |
| Maryland | $42,750 | +10.2% |
| Delaware | $42,720 | +10.1% |
| Nevada | $41,850 | +7.8% |
| Arizona | $41,350 | +6.5% |
| North Dakota | $41,140 | +6.0% |
| Wisconsin | $39,860 | +2.7% |
| Utah | $39,570 | +2.0% |
| Virginia | $39,500 | +1.8% |
| Illinois | $39,210 | +1.0% |
| Montana | $38,950 | +0.4% |
| Florida | $38,170 | -1.6% |
| South Dakota | $37,630 | -3.0% |
| Wyoming | $37,620 | -3.1% |
| Michigan | $37,370 | -3.7% |
| Nebraska | $37,310 | -3.9% |
| Ohio | $37,160 | -4.3% |
| New Mexico | $37,130 | -4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $36,950 | -4.8% |
| Idaho | $36,160 | -6.8% |
| North Carolina | $36,130 | -6.9% |
| Indiana | $35,910 | -7.5% |
| Georgia | $35,380 | -8.8% |
| Iowa | $35,260 | -9.1% |
| Tennessee | $35,260 | -9.1% |
| Missouri | $35,190 | -9.3% |
| Texas | $34,870 | -10.2% |
| Kentucky | $33,790 | -12.9% |
| South Carolina | $33,270 | -14.3% |
| Kansas | $32,990 | -15.0% |
| Arkansas | $32,720 | -15.7% |
| West Virginia | $31,470 | -18.9% |
| Oklahoma | $30,210 | -22.2% |
| Alabama | $27,870 | -28.2% |
| Mississippi | $27,850 | -28.2% |
| Louisiana | $27,300 | -29.7% |
What Factors Affect Cooks Institution and Cafeteria Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Cooks Institution and Cafeteria is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Hawaii pays an average of $52,100, while Louisiana pays $27,300 — a gap of $24,800 per year.
The middle half of Cooks Institution and Cafeteria earn between $32,440 and $44,800 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $28,480, while the top 10% earn more than $49,670.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation $46,180/yr United States +19.0% vs this role
- Cooks Fast Food $32,390/yr United States 16.5% vs this role
- Cooks Restaurant $38,730/yr United States 0.2% vs this role
- Bartenders $40,790/yr United States +5.1% vs this role
- Fast Food and Counter Workers $32,150/yr United States 17.2% vs this role
- Waiters and Waitresses $40,060/yr United States +3.2% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +161.3% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +253.8% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Cooks Institution and Cafeteria?
The average salary for Cooks Institution and Cafeteria in the United States is $38,810 per year, with a median of $37,450.
What is the starting salary for Cooks Institution and Cafeteria?
Entry-level Cooks Institution and Cafeteria typically earn between $28,480 and $32,440 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Cooks Institution and Cafeteria the most?
Hawaii pays Cooks Institution and Cafeteria the most at $52,100 per year on average, followed by Washington ($51,290) and Alaska ($49,410).
How much do Cooks Institution and Cafeteria make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $38,810, Cooks Institution and Cafeteria earn approximately $18.66 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Cooks Institution and Cafeteria a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 441,050 Cooks Institution and Cafeteria jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $38,810 and a median of $37,450 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data