SOC 352012

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

National Median

$36,450

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$36,450

Entry Level (10th pct)

$26,800

Experienced (90th pct)

$48,320

Total Employed

448,260

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$26,800 - $30,530
Mid Career2-8 years experience$30,530 - $42,860
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$42,860 - $48,320

Highest Paying Locations for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$54,840210
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$50,2905,740
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area$50,150200
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$49,850180
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$48,9401,880
Washington$48,26010,210
Alaska nonmetropolitan area$48,080740
Bellingham, WA$48,050250
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$48,000250
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$47,9204,040
Hanford-Corcoran, CA$47,92060
Napa, CA$47,91090
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$47,700270
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$47,540860
Barnstable Town, MA$47,420180
Fairbanks-College, AK$47,410110
Hawaii$47,2501,270
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$46,9105,460
Alaska$46,9001,540
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$46,760410
Anchorage, AK$46,750670
New Haven, CT$46,510620
Urban Honolulu, HI$46,480860
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area$46,380570
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$46,37015,130
Massachusetts$46,2807,510
Ithaca, NY$46,220210
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$46,000210
Walla Walla, WA$45,94090
Yakima, WA$45,880420
Connecticut$45,8703,630
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area$45,790460
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area$45,740230
Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area$45,720360
Vallejo, CA$45,720240
Burlington-South Burlington, VT$45,690450
California$45,68027,320
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$45,6701,180
District of Columbia$45,6001,560
Rhode Island$45,450940
Salinas, CA$45,430330
New Hampshire$45,2802,020
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$45,270320
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$45,260340
Kennewick-Richland, WA$45,260360
New York$45,16016,980
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area$45,150260
Pittsfield, MA$45,140170
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$45,1101,460
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$44,9901,390

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria?
The national median annual salary for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria is $36,450, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias is Kahului-Wailuku, HI, with a median salary of $54,840.
How much can an experienced Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make?
Top-earning Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias (90th percentile) make $48,320 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.