BLS metro-level wage data places Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Columbus, GA-AL at a median of $31,940 per year ($15.36/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $37,450, Columbus pays 15% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 350 cooks, institution and cafeterias are employed across the Columbus MSA in SOC 35-2012.

The Columbus pay distribution spans from $21,830 at the 10th percentile to $39,070 at the 90th — a 1.8× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $28,510 and the 75th at $36,050, so half of Columbus-based cooks, institution and cafeterias earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Columbus, GA-AL covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide GA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.