SalariesWhat the occupation covers
All cooks not listed separately.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 35-2019.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $27,040 | $2,253 | $520 | $13.00 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $32,150 | $2,679 | $618 | $15.46 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $37,690 | $3,141 | $725 | $18.12 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $43,680 | $3,640 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $51,140 | $4,262 | $983 | $24.59 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Cooks, All Other is $37,690, which is 26% lower. Among the 17 occupations of the field Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks number 4 by median pay. With 19,350 jobs, it makes up about 1.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Cooks, All Other pay by state
The highest median pay was in Massachusetts ($69,570), Washington ($52,510) and Nevada ($51,220). The lowest was in Iowa ($26,060), Louisiana ($28,930) and Arkansas ($30,780). The most jobs were in Texas (4,650), California (3,990) and Tennessee (2,060). The occupation is most concentrated in Tennessee, where its share of all jobs is 5.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | not published | $69,570 | $66,760 | $33.45 |
| Washington | 140 | $52,510 | $52,420 | $25.25 |
| Nevada | 320 | $51,220 | $50,160 | $24.63 |
| New Jersey | 280 | $46,080 | $45,970 | $22.15 |
| Indiana | 30 | $44,290 | $47,000 | $21.30 |
| North Dakota | 60 | $44,190 | $46,200 | $21.25 |
| Missouri | 70 | $43,990 | $44,860 | $21.15 |
| Colorado | 100 | $43,490 | $42,530 | $20.91 |
| New York | 1,090 | $43,000 | $44,980 | $20.67 |
| Georgia | 340 | $42,960 | $38,780 | $20.65 |
| California | 3,990 | $42,860 | $43,700 | $20.61 |
| Montana | 200 | $42,640 | $48,600 | $20.50 |
| Oregon | 450 | $42,020 | $41,380 | $20.20 |
| Arizona | 550 | $41,740 | $44,500 | $20.07 |
| Vermont | 160 | $41,250 | $47,890 | $19.83 |
| Hawaii | 100 | $39,870 | $42,070 | $19.17 |
| Florida | 710 | $39,520 | $41,170 | $19.00 |
| Connecticut | 220 | $37,190 | $40,350 | $17.88 |
| Michigan | 300 | $37,110 | $37,790 | $17.84 |
| Minnesota | 80 | $36,850 | $39,600 | $17.72 |
| Tennessee | 2,060 | $36,440 | $33,970 | $17.52 |
| Pennsylvania | 660 | $36,220 | $37,850 | $17.41 |
| Illinois | not published | $35,940 | $43,460 | $17.28 |
| Virginia | 480 | $35,810 | $42,290 | $17.22 |
| Ohio | 180 | $35,360 | $40,060 | $17.00 |
| Wisconsin | 50 | $33,760 | $39,300 | $16.23 |
| Mississippi | not published | $33,410 | $34,460 | $16.06 |
| Maryland | 610 | $32,150 | $36,640 | $15.46 |
| Texas | 4,650 | $32,150 | $33,130 | $15.46 |
| North Carolina | 150 | $31,120 | $32,660 | $14.96 |
| Arkansas | 90 | $30,780 | $38,260 | $14.80 |
| Louisiana | 430 | $28,930 | $31,640 | $13.91 |
| Iowa | 210 | $26,060 | $30,270 | $12.53 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Chefs and Head Cooks$62,470 a year
- Cooks, Private Household$47,940 a year
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,080 a year
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$37,450 a year
- Cooks, Restaurant$37,390 a year
- Cooks, Short Order$35,880 a year
Common questions
How much do Cooks, All Other earn in the United States?
The median pay was $37,690 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,040 and the highest-paid 10% more than $51,140.
How many people work as Cooks, All Other?
About 19,350 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.