35 Series · SOC 35-2013
Cooks, Private Household Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $47,940
- Median / year
- +7.7%
- 2024→2025
- $91,130
- Top 10% earn
- +5.1%
- Growth '24–'34
- 1,100
- Estimated US jobs
Cooks, Private Household earn a median of $47,940 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,940, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,090 (10th percentile) to $91,130 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 1,100 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is New York ($37,440).
The pay verdict
Cooks, Private Household earn a median of $47,940, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 27% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks #2 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% by 2034.
- $47,940
- Median annual wage
- Top 73%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #2 of 17
- in Food Preparation and Serving Related
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $37,440. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Cooks, Private Household moved from $37,870 in May 2019 to $47,940 in May 2025 (+26.6%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Cooks, Private Household sits +2.1 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Cooks, Private Household (SOC 35-2013) has a national median of $47,940 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,090 to $91,130, and the published mean is $53,680. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 1,100 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 1 state or territory areas and 0 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $44,530 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $47,940 in May 2025, a rise of $3,410 (+7.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 5,300 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry and less than 5 years as the typical related-work-experience category. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $37,440, which is 22% below the national figure. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$47,940
per year
Median Hourly
$23.05/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$53,680
average
Employment
1,100
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Cooks, Private Household pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$47,940 Bottom 27% higher than 27% 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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$47,940 · 27th percentile of 825 US occupations
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, Private Household; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Fast Food and Counte…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.1%, Median annual wage $31200
- Waiters and Waitresses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $35230
- Cooks, Restaurant: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.9%, Median annual wage $37390
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $44080
- Food Preparation Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.4%, Median annual wage $35320
- Bartenders: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.9%, Median annual wage $34340
- Cooks, Fast Food: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -13.5%, Median annual wage $30890
- Dining Room and Cafe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.3%, Median annual wage $33980
- Dishwashers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $34810
- Cooks, Institution a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $37450
- Hosts and Hostesses,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $31200
- Food Servers, Nonres…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $35360
- Chefs and Head Cooks: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $62470
- Cooks, Short Order: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.6%, Median annual wage $35880
- Food Preparation and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $35840
- Cooks, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $37690
- Cooks, Private House…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $47940
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.1%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
5,300
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+1,700
34,200 (2024) → 36,000 (2034)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
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
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Cooks, Private Household roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Peel, wash, trim, and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries.
- ▸ Cool, package, label, and freeze foods for later consumption and provide instructions for reheating.
- ▸ Plan menus according to employers' needs and diet restrictions.
- ▸ Shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment.
- ▸ Prepare meals in private homes according to employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.
- ▸ Keep records pertaining to menus, finances, and other business-related issues.
- ▸ Stock, organize, and clean kitchens and cooking utensils.
- ▸ Direct the operation and organization of kitchens and all food-related activities, including the presentation and serving of food.
- ▸ Specialize in preparing fancy dishes or food for special diets.
- ▸ Plan and prepare food for parties, holiday meals, luncheons, special functions, and other social events.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Cooks, Private Household pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $26,300 |
| 2016 | $32,060 |
| 2017 | $38,280 |
| 2018 | $37,590 |
| 2019 | $37,870 |
| 2020 | $32,630 |
| 2021 | $42,920 |
| 2022 | $38,570 |
| 2023 | $42,590 |
| 2024 | $44,530 |
| 2025 | $47,940 |
2015 median
$26,300
2025 median
$47,940
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,070 (+26.6%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $26,300 | First banked release | 380 |
| May 2016 | $32,060 | +21.9% | 370 |
| May 2017 | $38,280 | +19.4% | 500 |
| May 2018 | $37,590 | -1.8% | 460 |
| May 2019 | $37,870 | Classification break | 390 |
| May 2020 | $32,630 | -13.8% | 320 |
| May 2021 | $42,920 | +31.5% | 440 |
| May 2022 | $38,570 | -10.1% | 610 |
| May 2023 | $42,590 | +10.4% | 740 |
| May 2024 | $44,530 | +4.6% | 900 |
| May 2025 | $47,940 | +7.7% | 1,100 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $26,300 in May 2015 to $47,940 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 390 in May 2019 to 1,100 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 1 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $37,440 | 22% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 35 (Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Bartenders
SOC 35-3011
Chefs and Head Cooks
SOC 35-1011
Cooks, All Other
SOC 35-2019
Cooks, Fast Food
SOC 35-2011
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
SOC 35-2012
Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($47,940 here) and reported employment (1,100 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Cooks, Private Household make? ▼
Where does Cooks, Private Household pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Cooks, Private Household the most? ▼
What education do Cooks, Private Household need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Cooks, Private Household? ▼
Is Cooks, Private Household a good career? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Cooks, Private Household pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $55,450/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $37,440/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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.