Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria · SOC 35-2012
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in the Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $29,220 per year ($14.05 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $23,570 at the 10th percentile to $37,790 at the 90th. BLS estimates 1,040 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area earn more than $29,220 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $27,620 and $35,080.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $23,570 | $27,620 | $29,220 | $35,080 | $37,790 |
| Hourly | $11.33 | $13.28 | $14.05 | $16.87 | $18.17 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area$29,220 median for Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $27,620 to $35,080
- West Virginiastate$29,740 median for West Virginia; middle half earns $27,740 to $35,680
- United Statesnational$37,450 median for United States; middle half earns $32,440 to $44,800
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −2% vs West Virginia overall and −22% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in West Virginia
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for cooks, institution and cafeteria, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan areathis page$29,220 median for Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $27,620 to $35,080
- $31,770 median for Morgantown metro area; middle half earns $28,960 to $37,110
- $30,850 median for Weirton metro area; middle half earns $28,340 to $36,150
- $30,600 median for Wheeling metro area; middle half earns $27,810 to $36,290
- $30,050 median for Charleston metro area; middle half earns $27,590 to $34,280
- $29,630 median for Beckley metro area; middle half earns $27,390 to $35,740
- $29,630 median for Huntington metro area; middle half earns $27,310 to $34,290
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for cooks, institution and cafeterias · Highest-paying occupations in Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
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.