BLS metro-level wage data places Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at a median of $44,880 per year ($21.58/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $37,450, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays +20% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 5,670 cooks, institution and cafeterias are employed across the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria MSA in SOC 35-2012.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pay distribution spans from $36,580 at the 10th percentile to $53,890 at the 90th — a 1.5× 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 $39,570 and the 75th at $47,110, so half of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria-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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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 DC data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.