35 Series · SOC 35-2015
Cooks, Short Order Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $35,880
- Median / year
- $46,460
- Top 10% earn
- -5.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 138,650
- US workers
Cooks, Short Order earn a median of $35,880 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $35,880, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $23,440 (10th percentile) to $46,460 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 138,650 US workers. Arizona pays the most ($46,630), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Cooks, Short Order earn a median of $35,880, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 5% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks #7 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 5.6% by 2033.
- $35,880
- Median annual wage
- Top 95%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #7 of 17
- in Food Preparation and Serving Related
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Arizona at $46,630. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Cooks, Short Order (SOC 35-2015) pays a national median of $35,880 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $23,440 at the 10th percentile to $46,460 at the 90th, with a mean of $36,120 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 138,650 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 327 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -5.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 20,600 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 short-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. Arizona pays the highest state median at $46,630, which is +30% above the national figure. The top metro is Corvallis, OR at $54,020 - 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.
BLS OEWS May 2025 138,650 jobs Median $35,880/yr
Median Salary
$35,880
per year
Median Hourly
$17.25/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$36,120
average
Employment
138,650
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Cooks, Short Order pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$35,880 Bottom 5% higher than 5% 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, Short Order; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Cooks, Short Order sits on the slower-growing side at -5.6% growth and $35,880 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-5.6%
Declining
Annual Openings
20,600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
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
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Cooks, Short Order roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Reading Comprehension 3.1
Active Listening 3.1
Time Management 3.1
Speaking 3.0
Coordination 3.0
Service Orientation 3.0
Critical Thinking 2.9
Monitoring 2.9
Social Perceptiveness 2.6
Complex Problem Solving 2.6
Knowledge Areas
Food Production 4.0
Customer and Personal Service 3.4
English Language 3.2
Production and Processing 2.6
Communications and Media 2.5
Chemistry 2.4
Public Safety and Security 2.3
Foreign Language 2.2
Mathematics 2.0
Computers and Electronics 1.9
Key Tasks
- ▸ Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
- ▸ Grill and garnish hamburgers or other meats, such as steaks and chops.
- ▸ Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
- ▸ Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
- ▸ Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
- ▸ Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
- ▸ Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea.
- ▸ Perform general cleaning activities in kitchen and dining areas.
- ▸ Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
- ▸ Order supplies and stock them on shelves.
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
10th Percentile
$23,440
25th Percentile
$30,610
Median
$35,880
75th Percentile
$42,450
90th Percentile
$46,460
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $46,630 | +30% above national |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $46,250 | +29% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $44,290 | +23% above national |
| 4 | Hawaii | $43,110 | +20% above national |
| 5 | California | $42,930 | +20% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $42,760 | +19% above national |
| 7 | Colorado | $42,450 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Connecticut | $42,450 | +18% above national |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $42,450 | +18% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $40,720 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Idaho | $40,090 | +12% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $38,830 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Oregon | $38,550 | +7% above national |
| 14 | Delaware | $38,500 | +7% above national |
| 15 | Missouri | $38,490 | +7% above national |
| 16 | Utah | $38,010 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Alaska | $37,780 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Nevada | $37,780 | +5% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $37,440 | +4% above national |
| 20 | New Mexico | $37,150 | +4% above national |
| 21 | Maryland | $36,800 | +3% above national |
| 22 | New York | $35,550 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Maine | $35,360 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $35,130 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,510 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Florida | $34,240 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Iowa | $34,090 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Montana | $33,240 | 7% below national |
| 29 | South Dakota | $32,380 | 10% below national |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $32,330 | 10% below national |
| 31 | Minnesota | $32,150 | 10% below national |
| 32 | Kentucky | $31,840 | 11% below national |
| 33 | North Carolina | $31,290 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Virginia | $31,200 | 13% below national |
| 35 | Nebraska | $30,530 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Arkansas | $30,510 | 15% below national |
| 37 | Tennessee | $30,210 | 16% below national |
| 38 | South Carolina | $29,640 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Ohio | $29,290 | 18% below national |
| 40 | Mississippi | $28,180 | 21% below national |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $28,130 | 22% below national |
| 42 | West Virginia | $27,440 | 24% below national |
| 43 | Kansas | $27,400 | 24% below national |
| 44 | Georgia | $26,870 | 25% below national |
| 45 | Louisiana | $26,260 | 27% below national |
| 46 | Texas | $25,320 | 29% below national |
| 47 | Guam | $23,080 | 36% below national |
| 48 | Puerto Rico | $22,500 | 37% below national |
| 49 | Alabama | $22,330 | 38% below national |
| 50 | Indiana | $21,940 | 39% below national |
| 51 | Pennsylvania | $19,910 | 45% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 327 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corvallis, OR | $54,020 | +51% above national |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,870 | +42% above national |
| 3 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,180 | +40% above national |
| 4 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $48,140 | +34% above national |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,450 | +29% above national |
| 6 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,990 | +28% above national |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $45,790 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Barnstable Town, MA | $45,690 | +27% above national |
| 9 | Vallejo, CA | $45,360 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $44,780 | +25% above national |
| 11 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $44,200 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $44,050 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Napa, CA | $43,930 | +22% above national |
| 14 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $43,790 | +22% above national |
| 15 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,680 | +22% above national |
| 16 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,990 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $42,450 | +18% above national |
| 18 | Yuba City, CA | $42,400 | +18% above national |
| 19 | Reno, NV | $41,530 | +16% above national |
| 20 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $41,230 | +15% above national |
| 21 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $40,860 | +14% above national |
| 22 | Worcester, MA | $40,780 | +14% above national |
| 23 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $40,680 | +13% above national |
| 24 | Salinas, CA | $40,550 | +13% above national |
| 25 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $39,970 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $39,650 | +11% above national |
| 27 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $39,600 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Ogden, UT | $39,550 | +10% above national |
| 29 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $39,300 | +10% above national |
| 30 | Springfield, MA | $39,200 | +9% above national |
| 31 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $39,140 | +9% above national |
| 32 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $39,040 | +9% above national |
| 33 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $39,040 | +9% above national |
| 34 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $39,000 | +9% above national |
| 35 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $38,910 | +8% above national |
| 36 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $38,890 | +8% above national |
| 37 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,860 | +8% above national |
| 38 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $38,830 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $38,810 | +8% above national |
| 40 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $38,800 | +8% above national |
| 41 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $38,570 | +7% above national |
| 42 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $38,490 | +7% above national |
| 43 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $38,490 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,480 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Yakima, WA | $38,430 | +7% above national |
| 46 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $38,340 | +7% above national |
| 47 | Fresno, CA | $38,280 | +7% above national |
| 48 | Modesto, CA | $38,260 | +7% above national |
| 49 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $38,200 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Bellingham, WA | $38,160 | +6% above national |
| 51 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $38,020 | +6% above national |
| 52 | Medford, OR | $38,010 | +6% above national |
| 53 | Visalia, CA | $37,940 | +6% above national |
| 54 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $37,830 | +5% above national |
| 55 | Santa Fe, NM | $37,820 | +5% above national |
| 56 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $37,770 | +5% above national |
| 57 | Pittsfield, MA | $37,720 | +5% above national |
| 58 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $37,720 | +5% above national |
| 59 | Chico, CA | $37,700 | +5% above national |
| 60 | Anchorage, AK | $37,660 | +5% above national |
| 61 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,490 | +4% above national |
| 62 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $37,450 | +4% above national |
| 63 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $37,440 | +4% above national |
| 64 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $37,300 | +4% above national |
| 65 | Dubuque, IA | $36,990 | +3% above national |
| 66 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $36,760 | +2% above national |
| 67 | Redding, CA | $36,730 | +2% above national |
| 68 | Rochester, NY | $36,580 | +2% above national |
| 69 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $36,470 | +2% above national |
| 70 | Albany, OR | $36,460 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $36,460 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $36,360 | +1% above national |
| 73 | Kingston, NY | $36,310 | +1% above national |
| 74 | Lexington Park, MD | $36,250 | +1% above national |
| 75 | Merced, CA | $36,240 | +1% above national |
| 76 | Ithaca, NY | $36,200 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Syracuse, NY | $36,190 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $36,170 | +1% above national |
| 79 | Traverse City, MI | $36,090 | +1% above national |
| 80 | Tucson, AZ | $36,080 | +1% above national |
| 81 | Ames, IA | $36,070 | +1% above national |
| 82 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,010 | same as national |
| 83 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $36,010 | same as national |
| 84 | Iowa City, IA | $35,990 | same as national |
| 85 | Glens Falls, NY | $35,950 | same as national |
| 86 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $35,920 | same as national |
| 87 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $35,880 | same as national |
| 88 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $35,800 | same as national |
| 89 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $35,780 | same as national |
| 90 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $35,660 | 1% below national |
| 91 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $35,660 | 1% below national |
| 92 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $35,630 | 1% below national |
| 93 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $35,610 | 1% below national |
| 94 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $35,570 | 1% below national |
| 95 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $35,570 | 1% below national |
| 96 | Bangor, ME | $35,400 | 1% below national |
| 97 | Tulsa, OK | $35,380 | 1% below national |
| 98 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $35,360 | 1% below national |
| 99 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $35,360 | 1% below national |
| 100 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $35,320 | 2% below national |
| 101 | Columbia, MO | $35,260 | 2% below national |
| 102 | Binghamton, NY | $35,240 | 2% below national |
| 103 | Columbus, OH | $35,200 | 2% below national |
| 104 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $35,160 | 2% below national |
| 105 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $35,040 | 2% below national |
| 106 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $35,030 | 2% below national |
| 107 | Salem, OR | $34,910 | 3% below national |
| 108 | Bend, OR | $34,880 | 3% below national |
| 109 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $34,840 | 3% below national |
| 110 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $34,830 | 3% below national |
| 111 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $34,810 | 3% below national |
| 112 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $34,740 | 3% below national |
| 113 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $34,730 | 3% below national |
| 114 | Utica-Rome, NY | $34,690 | 3% below national |
| 115 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $34,650 | 3% below national |
| 116 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $34,650 | 3% below national |
| 117 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $34,650 | 3% below national |
| 118 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $34,620 | 4% below national |
| 119 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $34,600 | 4% below national |
| 120 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $34,570 | 4% below national |
| 121 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $34,520 | 4% below national |
| 122 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $34,290 | 4% below national |
| 123 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $34,270 | 4% below national |
| 124 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $34,200 | 5% below national |
| 125 | Rockford, IL | $34,150 | 5% below national |
| 126 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $34,060 | 5% below national |
| 127 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $33,960 | 5% below national |
| 128 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $33,960 | 5% below national |
| 129 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $33,880 | 6% below national |
| 130 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $33,700 | 6% below national |
| 131 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $33,620 | 6% below national |
| 132 | Baton Rouge, LA | $33,540 | 7% below national |
| 133 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $33,520 | 7% below national |
| 134 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $33,400 | 7% below national |
| 135 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $33,280 | 7% below national |
| 136 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $33,280 | 7% below national |
| 137 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $33,280 | 7% below national |
| 138 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $33,260 | 7% below national |
| 139 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $33,260 | 7% below national |
| 140 | Gainesville, FL | $33,220 | 7% below national |
| 141 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $33,210 | 7% below national |
| 142 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $33,080 | 8% below national |
| 143 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $32,940 | 8% below national |
| 144 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $32,850 | 8% below national |
| 145 | Omaha, NE-IA | $32,710 | 9% below national |
| 146 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $32,680 | 9% below national |
| 147 | Rapid City, SD | $32,670 | 9% below national |
| 148 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $32,630 | 9% below national |
| 149 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $32,620 | 9% below national |
| 150 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $32,480 | 9% below national |
| 151 | Great Falls, MT | $32,370 | 10% below national |
| 152 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $32,180 | 10% below national |
| 153 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $32,150 | 10% below national |
| 154 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $32,150 | 10% below national |
| 155 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $32,150 | 10% below national |
| 156 | Colorado Springs, CO | $32,030 | 11% below national |
| 157 | Ann Arbor, MI | $32,020 | 11% below national |
| 158 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $32,020 | 11% below national |
| 159 | Peoria, IL | $32,010 | 11% below national |
| 160 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $31,940 | 11% below national |
| 161 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $31,940 | 11% below national |
| 162 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $31,910 | 11% below national |
| 163 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $31,840 | 11% below national |
| 164 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $31,840 | 11% below national |
| 165 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $31,840 | 11% below national |
| 166 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $31,840 | 11% below national |
| 167 | Hammond, LA | $31,800 | 11% below national |
| 168 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $31,780 | 11% below national |
| 169 | Saginaw, MI | $31,700 | 12% below national |
| 170 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $31,520 | 12% below national |
| 171 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $31,510 | 12% below national |
| 172 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $31,450 | 12% below national |
| 173 | Akron, OH | $31,430 | 12% below national |
| 174 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $31,390 | 13% below national |
| 175 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $31,360 | 13% below national |
| 176 | Tallahassee, FL | $31,300 | 13% below national |
| 177 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $31,300 | 13% below national |
| 178 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $31,300 | 13% below national |
| 179 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $31,240 | 13% below national |
| 180 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $31,200 | 13% below national |
| 181 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $31,120 | 13% below national |
| 182 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $31,080 | 13% below national |
| 183 | Grand Island, NE | $31,060 | 13% below national |
| 184 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $31,050 | 13% below national |
| 185 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $31,050 | 13% below national |
| 186 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $30,840 | 14% below national |
| 187 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $30,840 | 14% below national |
| 188 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $30,690 | 14% below national |
| 189 | Winchester, VA-WV | $30,670 | 15% below national |
| 190 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $30,510 | 15% below national |
| 191 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $30,510 | 15% below national |
| 192 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $30,410 | 15% below national |
| 193 | Lincoln, NE | $30,340 | 15% below national |
| 194 | Rochester, MN | $30,320 | 15% below national |
| 195 | Fort Wayne, IN | $30,240 | 16% below national |
| 196 | Knoxville, TN | $30,210 | 16% below national |
| 197 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $30,170 | 16% below national |
| 198 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $30,160 | 16% below national |
| 199 | Hinesville, GA | $30,110 | 16% below national |
| 200 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $30,010 | 16% below national |
| 201 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $30,010 | 16% below national |
| 202 | Duluth, MN-WI | $29,960 | 16% below national |
| 203 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $29,950 | 17% below national |
| 204 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $29,880 | 17% below national |
| 205 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $29,810 | 17% below national |
| 206 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $29,760 | 17% below national |
| 207 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $29,730 | 17% below national |
| 208 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $29,710 | 17% below national |
| 209 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29,700 | 17% below national |
| 210 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $29,630 | 17% below national |
| 211 | Wilmington, NC | $29,620 | 17% below national |
| 212 | Lancaster, PA | $29,580 | 18% below national |
| 213 | Johnson City, TN | $29,460 | 18% below national |
| 214 | Winston-Salem, NC | $29,400 | 18% below national |
| 215 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $29,350 | 18% below national |
| 216 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $29,290 | 18% below national |
| 217 | Richmond, VA | $29,280 | 18% below national |
| 218 | Roanoke, VA | $29,260 | 18% below national |
| 219 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $29,230 | 19% below national |
| 220 | Morgantown, WV | $29,210 | 19% below national |
| 221 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $29,200 | 19% below national |
| 222 | Topeka, KS | $29,180 | 19% below national |
| 223 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $29,120 | 19% below national |
| 224 | Bloomington, IN | $29,030 | 19% below national |
| 225 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $29,010 | 19% below national |
| 226 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $28,970 | 19% below national |
| 227 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $28,820 | 20% below national |
| 228 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $28,790 | 20% below national |
| 229 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $28,790 | 20% below national |
| 230 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $28,700 | 20% below national |
| 231 | Kokomo, IN | $28,670 | 20% below national |
| 232 | Cleveland, TN | $28,660 | 20% below national |
| 233 | Madison, WI | $28,650 | 20% below national |
| 234 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $28,580 | 20% below national |
| 235 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $28,520 | 21% below national |
| 236 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $28,490 | 21% below national |
| 237 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $28,470 | 21% below national |
| 238 | Jackson, MS | $28,450 | 21% below national |
| 239 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $28,430 | 21% below national |
| 240 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $28,400 | 21% below national |
| 241 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $28,390 | 21% below national |
| 242 | Midland, TX | $28,390 | 21% below national |
| 243 | Chambersburg, PA | $28,350 | 21% below national |
| 244 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $28,290 | 21% below national |
| 245 | Wichita, KS | $28,250 | 21% below national |
| 246 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $28,200 | 21% below national |
| 247 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $28,200 | 21% below national |
| 248 | Savannah, GA | $28,160 | 22% below national |
| 249 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $28,130 | 22% below national |
| 250 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $28,120 | 22% below national |
| 251 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $28,080 | 22% below national |
| 252 | Muncie, IN | $28,030 | 22% below national |
| 253 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $27,990 | 22% below national |
| 254 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $27,990 | 22% below national |
| 255 | Toledo, OH | $27,970 | 22% below national |
| 256 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $27,900 | 22% below national |
| 257 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $27,830 | 22% below national |
| 258 | Manhattan, KS | $27,820 | 22% below national |
| 259 | Kenosha, WI | $27,790 | 23% below national |
| 260 | Green Bay, WI | $27,730 | 23% below national |
| 261 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $27,730 | 23% below national |
| 262 | Appleton, WI | $27,720 | 23% below national |
| 263 | Springfield, OH | $27,600 | 23% below national |
| 264 | Bowling Green, KY | $27,590 | 23% below national |
| 265 | Charleston, WV | $27,590 | 23% below national |
| 266 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $27,590 | 23% below national |
| 267 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $27,590 | 23% below national |
| 268 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $27,580 | 23% below national |
| 269 | Sandusky, OH | $27,560 | 23% below national |
| 270 | Columbia, SC | $27,540 | 23% below national |
| 271 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $27,510 | 23% below national |
| 272 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $26,790 | 25% below national |
| 273 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $26,790 | 25% below national |
| 274 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $26,790 | 25% below national |
| 275 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $26,470 | 26% below national |
| 276 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $26,350 | 27% below national |
| 277 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $26,030 | 27% below national |
| 278 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $26,000 | 28% below national |
| 279 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $25,720 | 28% below national |
| 280 | Lubbock, TX | $25,550 | 29% below national |
| 281 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $25,540 | 29% below national |
| 282 | Amarillo, TX | $25,500 | 29% below national |
| 283 | Williamsport, PA | $25,490 | 29% below national |
| 284 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $25,320 | 29% below national |
| 285 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $25,050 | 30% below national |
| 286 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $24,960 | 30% below national |
| 287 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $24,720 | 31% below national |
| 288 | Odessa, TX | $24,350 | 32% below national |
| 289 | Lafayette, LA | $24,340 | 32% below national |
| 290 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $24,290 | 32% below national |
| 291 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $23,600 | 34% below national |
| 292 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $23,600 | 34% below national |
| 293 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $23,600 | 34% below national |
| 294 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $23,500 | 35% below national |
| 295 | Monroe, LA | $23,350 | 35% below national |
| 296 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $23,260 | 35% below national |
| 297 | Birmingham, AL | $23,160 | 35% below national |
| 298 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $23,100 | 36% below national |
| 299 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $23,030 | 36% below national |
| 300 | Tyler, TX | $22,900 | 36% below national |
| 301 | Longview, TX | $22,880 | 36% below national |
| 302 | Warner Robins, GA | $22,880 | 36% below national |
| 303 | Abilene, TX | $22,840 | 36% below national |
| 304 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $22,680 | 37% below national |
| 305 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $22,580 | 37% below national |
| 306 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $22,550 | 37% below national |
| 307 | Huntsville, AL | $22,510 | 37% below national |
| 308 | Erie, PA | $22,450 | 37% below national |
| 309 | Wichita Falls, TX | $22,430 | 37% below national |
| 310 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $22,330 | 38% below national |
| 311 | San Angelo, TX | $22,320 | 38% below national |
| 312 | Cleveland, OH | $22,260 | 38% below national |
| 313 | York-Hanover, PA | $22,160 | 38% below national |
| 314 | Guayama, PR | $22,140 | 38% below national |
| 315 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $22,110 | 38% below national |
| 316 | Terre Haute, IN | $21,940 | 39% below national |
| 317 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $21,860 | 39% below national |
| 318 | Montgomery, AL | $21,840 | 39% below national |
| 319 | Puerto Rico nonmetropolitan area | $21,840 | 39% below national |
| 320 | El Paso, TX | $21,610 | 40% below national |
| 321 | Laredo, TX | $21,490 | 40% below national |
| 322 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $21,480 | 40% below national |
| 323 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $21,440 | 40% below national |
| 324 | Dothan, AL | $21,250 | 41% below national |
| 325 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $21,130 | 41% below national |
| 326 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $20,620 | 43% below national |
| 327 | Pittsburgh, PA | $17,150 | 52% 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
How much does a Cooks, Short Order make? ▼
The median annual salary for Cooks, Short Order is $35,880 ($17.25/hour). The salary range spans from $23,440 at the 10th percentile to $46,460 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Cooks, Short Order the most? ▼
Arizona pays the highest median salary for Cooks, Short Order at $46,630/year, which is +30% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Cooks, Short Order? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Cooks, Short Order is No formal educational credential. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Cooks, Short Order? ▼
Cooks, Short Order has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 2.4 per 100 workers.
Is Cooks, Short Order a good career? ▼
Employment for Cooks, Short Order is projected to decline 5.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 20,600 openings are projected each year.
How does Cooks, Short Order pay vary by state? ▼
Cooks, Short Order salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Arizona at $46,630/year, while Guam pays the least at $23,080/year. BLS data covers 51 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Cooks, Short Order? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Cooks, Short Order is Corvallis, OR at $54,020/year. BLS reports wage data for 327 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
What to do with this data
How to use Cooks, Short Order pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $42,450/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: Arizona leads at $46,630/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.