35 Series · SOC 35-2019
Cooks, All Other Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $37,690
- Median / year
- $51,140
- Top 10% earn
- +5.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 19,350
- US workers
Cooks, All Other earn a median of $37,690 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $37,690, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $27,040 (10th percentile) to $51,140 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 19,350 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($69,570), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Cooks, All Other earn a median of $37,690, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 8% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks #4 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.5% by 2033.
- $37,690
- Median annual wage
- Top 92%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #4 of 17
- in Food Preparation and Serving Related
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $69,570. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Cooks, All Other (SOC 35-2019) pays a national median of $37,690 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $27,040 at the 10th percentile to $51,140 at the 90th, with a mean of $39,150 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 19,350 Americans work in this occupation across 33 reporting states and 73 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.4 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $69,570, which is +85% above the national figure. The top metro is Burlington-South Burlington, VT at $57,320 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$37,690
per year
Median Hourly
$18.12/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$39,150
average
Employment
19,350
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Cooks, All Other pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$37,690 Bottom 8% higher than 8% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 35-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Cooks, All Other; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Cooks, All Other sits on the faster-growing side at +5.5% growth and $37,690 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.5%
About average
Annual Openings
3,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
2.4/100
Danger Index
9.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$27,040
25th Percentile
$32,150
Median
$37,690
75th Percentile
$43,680
90th Percentile
$51,140
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 33 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $69,570 | +85% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $52,510 | +39% above national |
| 3 | Nevada | $51,220 | +36% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $46,080 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Indiana | $44,290 | +18% above national |
| 6 | North Dakota | $44,190 | +17% above national |
| 7 | Missouri | $43,990 | +17% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $43,490 | +15% above national |
| 9 | New York | $43,000 | +14% above national |
| 10 | Georgia | $42,960 | +14% above national |
| 11 | California | $42,860 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Montana | $42,640 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Oregon | $42,020 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Arizona | $41,740 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Vermont | $41,250 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Hawaii | $39,870 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Florida | $39,520 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Connecticut | $37,190 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Michigan | $37,110 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $36,850 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Tennessee | $36,440 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $36,220 | 4% below national |
| 23 | Illinois | $35,940 | 5% below national |
| 24 | Virginia | $35,810 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Ohio | $35,360 | 6% below national |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $33,760 | 10% below national |
| 27 | Mississippi | $33,410 | 11% below national |
| 28 | Maryland | $32,150 | 15% below national |
| 29 | Texas | $32,150 | 15% below national |
| 30 | North Carolina | $31,120 | 17% below national |
| 31 | Arkansas | $30,780 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Louisiana | $28,930 | 23% below national |
| 33 | Iowa | $26,060 | 31% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 73 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $57,320 | +52% above national |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $53,910 | +43% above national |
| 3 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $51,220 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,780 | +32% above national |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,840 | +27% above national |
| 6 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,960 | +25% above national |
| 7 | Syracuse, NY | $45,970 | +22% above national |
| 8 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,740 | +19% above national |
| 9 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $44,340 | +18% above national |
| 10 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $43,680 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $42,960 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $42,890 | +14% above national |
| 13 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,860 | +14% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $42,630 | +13% above national |
| 15 | Jacksonville, FL | $41,820 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $41,250 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $40,270 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Midland, TX | $40,040 | +6% above national |
| 19 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $39,960 | +6% above national |
| 20 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $39,870 | +6% above national |
| 21 | New Haven, CT | $39,670 | +5% above national |
| 22 | Salinas, CA | $39,640 | +5% above national |
| 23 | Ann Arbor, MI | $39,540 | +5% above national |
| 24 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $39,290 | +4% above national |
| 25 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,980 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $38,950 | +3% above national |
| 27 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $38,940 | +3% above national |
| 28 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $38,870 | +3% above national |
| 29 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $38,850 | +3% above national |
| 30 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,850 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Tucson, AZ | $38,800 | +3% above national |
| 32 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $38,580 | +2% above national |
| 33 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $38,550 | +2% above national |
| 34 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $38,210 | +1% above national |
| 35 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $37,910 | +1% above national |
| 36 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $37,300 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $37,040 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Lancaster, PA | $36,390 | 3% below national |
| 39 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $35,990 | 5% below national |
| 40 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $35,940 | 5% below national |
| 41 | Richmond, VA | $35,540 | 6% below national |
| 42 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $35,500 | 6% below national |
| 43 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $35,360 | 6% below national |
| 44 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $35,250 | 6% below national |
| 45 | Knoxville, TN | $35,120 | 7% below national |
| 46 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $35,070 | 7% below national |
| 47 | Reading, PA | $35,020 | 7% below national |
| 48 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $34,820 | 8% below national |
| 49 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $34,260 | 9% below national |
| 50 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $34,090 | 10% below national |
| 51 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $33,220 | 12% below national |
| 52 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $33,000 | 12% below national |
| 53 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $32,910 | 13% below national |
| 54 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $32,330 | 14% below national |
| 55 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $32,150 | 15% below national |
| 56 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $31,880 | 15% below national |
| 57 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $30,840 | 18% below national |
| 58 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $29,710 | 21% below national |
| 59 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $29,450 | 22% below national |
| 60 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $29,030 | 23% below national |
| 61 | Baton Rouge, LA | $28,930 | 23% below national |
| 62 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $28,550 | 24% below national |
| 63 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $27,900 | 26% below national |
| 64 | Waco, TX | $27,710 | 26% below national |
| 65 | El Paso, TX | $27,460 | 27% below national |
| 66 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $27,150 | 28% below national |
| 67 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $26,430 | 30% below national |
| 68 | Lafayette, LA | $26,140 | 31% below national |
| 69 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $25,940 | 31% below national |
| 70 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $25,700 | 32% below national |
| 71 | Lubbock, TX | $24,650 | 35% below national |
| 72 | Laredo, TX | $24,440 | 35% below national |
| 73 | Cleveland, TN | $20,420 | 46% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 35 (food preparation and serving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Cooks, All Other pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $43,680/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $69,570/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.