SOC 35-2019 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Cooks, All Other

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$37,690

U.S. median hourly wage$18.12

U.S. employment19,350

Nationally, cooks, all other earned a median of $37,690 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 19,350 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Cooks, All Other: pay and employment by state
State
Massachusetts	$69,570	$33.45	Not published	Not published
Washington	$52,510	$25.25	140	0.0
Nevada	$51,220	$24.63	320	0.2
New Jersey	$46,080	$22.15	280	0.1
Indiana	$44,290	$21.30	30	0.0
North Dakota	$44,190	$21.25	60	0.1
Missouri	$43,990	$21.15	70	0.0
Colorado	$43,490	$20.91	100	0.0
New York	$43,000	$20.67	1,090	0.1
Georgia	$42,960	$20.65	340	0.1
California	$42,860	$20.61	3,990	0.2
Montana	$42,640	$20.50	200	0.4
Oregon	$42,020	$20.20	450	0.2
Arizona	$41,740	$20.07	550	0.2
Vermont	$41,250	$19.83	160	0.5
Hawaii	$39,870	$19.17	100	0.2
Florida	$39,520	$19.00	710	0.1
Connecticut	$37,190	$17.88	220	0.1
Michigan	$37,110	$17.84	300	0.1
Minnesota	$36,850	$17.72	80	0.0
Tennessee	$36,440	$17.52	2,060	0.6
Pennsylvania	$36,220	$17.41	660	0.1
Illinois	$35,940	$17.28	Not published	Not published
Virginia	$35,810	$17.22	480	0.1
Ohio	$35,360	$17.00	180	0.0
Wisconsin	$33,760	$16.23	50	0.0
Mississippi	$33,410	$16.06	Not published	Not published
Maryland	$32,150	$15.46	610	0.2
Texas	$32,150	$15.46	4,650	0.3
North Carolina	$31,120	$14.96	150	0.0
Arkansas	$30,780	$14.80	90	0.1
Louisiana	$28,930	$13.91	430	0.2
Iowa	$26,060	$12.53	210	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 63 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Cooks, All Other: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$57,320	$27.56	80	0.7
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$53,910	$25.92	80	0.0
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$51,220	$24.63	290	0.3
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$49,780	$23.93	40	0.0
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$47,840	$23.00	180	0.9
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$46,960	$22.58	400	0.2
Syracuse, NY	$45,970	$22.10	30	0.1
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$44,740	$21.51	Not published	Not published
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$44,340	$21.32	300	0.2
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$43,680	$21.00	50	0.4
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$42,960	$20.65	Not published	Not published
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$42,890	$20.62	300	0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$42,860	$20.61	1,120	0.5
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$42,630	$20.49	830	0.1
Jacksonville, FL	$41,820	$20.10	40	0.0
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$40,270	$19.36	80	0.1
Midland, TX	$40,040	$19.25	100	0.8
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$39,960	$19.21	100	0.1
Urban Honolulu, HI	$39,870	$19.17	70	0.2
New Haven, CT	$39,670	$19.07	50	0.2
Salinas, CA	$39,640	$19.06	70	0.4
Ann Arbor, MI	$39,540	$19.01	40	0.2
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$39,290	$18.89	30	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$38,980	$18.74	190	0.2
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$38,950	$18.73	Not published	Not published
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$38,940	$18.72	40	0.2
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$38,870	$18.69	290	0.2
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$38,850	$18.68	1,040	0.2
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$38,850	$18.68	280	0.1
Tucson, AZ	$38,800	$18.65	60	0.2
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$38,580	$18.55	100	0.2
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$38,210	$18.37	40	0.0
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$37,300	$17.93	40	0.1
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$37,040	$17.81	Not published	Not published
Lancaster, PA	$36,390	$17.50	40	0.2
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$35,990	$17.30	110	0.4
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$35,940	$17.28	Not published	Not published
Richmond, VA	$35,540	$17.09	50	0.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$35,500	$17.07	1,810	0.4
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$35,250	$16.95	90	0.1
Knoxville, TN	$35,120	$16.88	180	0.4
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$35,070	$16.86	420	0.3
Reading, PA	$35,020	$16.84	40	0.2
Clarksville, TN-KY	$34,820	$16.74	40	0.4
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$34,260	$16.47	70	0.2
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$33,220	$15.97	700	0.6
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$33,000	$15.87	290	0.3
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$32,910	$15.82	50	0.2
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$31,880	$15.33	380	0.1
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$30,840	$14.83	120	0.3
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	$29,450	$14.16	40	0.3
Baton Rouge, LA	$28,930	$13.91	90	0.2
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$27,900	$13.41	860	0.3
Waco, TX	$27,710	$13.32	60	0.4
El Paso, TX	$27,460	$13.20	140	0.4
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$27,150	$13.05	90	0.1
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA	$26,430	$12.71	30	0.4
Lafayette, LA	$26,140	$12.57	60	0.3
Killeen-Temple, TX	$25,940	$12.47	40	0.2
College Station-Bryan, TX	$25,700	$12.35	50	0.4
Lubbock, TX	$24,650	$11.85	80	0.5
Laredo, TX	$24,440	$11.75	50	0.4
Cleveland, TN	$20,420	$9.82	40	0.9

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.