Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria · SOC 35-2012
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $25,490 per year ($12.26 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $18,400 at the 10th percentile to $32,790 at the 90th. BLS estimates 230 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area earn more than $25,490 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $21,970 and $29,190.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $18,400 | $21,970 | $25,490 | $29,190 | $32,790 |
| Hourly | $8.85 | $10.56 | $12.26 | $14.04 | $15.76 |
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
- Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area$25,490 median for Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $21,970 to $29,190
- Louisianastate$25,490 median for Louisiana; middle half earns $22,290 to $30,410
- 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 about the same vs Louisiana overall and −32% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Louisiana
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.
- Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan areathis page$25,490 median for Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $21,970 to $29,190
- $32,460 median for Lake Charles metro area; middle half earns $27,040 to $33,710
- $30,410 median for Slidell metro area; middle half earns $28,010 to $34,480
- $29,370 median for New Orleans metro area; middle half earns $23,200 to $35,770
- $28,630 median for Shreveport metro area; middle half earns $26,800 to $34,330
- $26,400 median for Lafayette metro area; middle half earns $21,170 to $30,720
- $24,740 median for Baton Rouge metro area; middle half earns $23,240 to $29,140
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 Southwest Louisiana 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.