Odessa, TX · SOC 35-2015

Cooks, Short Order in Odessa

Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Median Salary

$24,350

per year in Odessa

32% below

National Median

$35,880

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$11.71/hr

median hourly

Employment

70

jobs in Odessa

BLS metro-level wage data places Cooks, Short Order pay in Odessa, TX at a median of $24,350 per year ($11.71/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $35,880, Odessa pays 32% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 70 cooks, short orders are employed across the Odessa MSA in SOC 35-2015.

The Odessa pay distribution spans from $23,000 at the 10th percentile to $36,010 at the 90th — a 1.6× 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 $24,350 and the 75th at $33,800, so half of Odessa-based cooks, short orders 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 Odessa, TX 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 TX data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Salary Range in Odessa

Annual Salary Distribution

$23,000$24,350$24,350$33,800$36,010
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$23,000

25th Percentile

$24,350

Median

$24,350

75th Percentile

$33,800

90th Percentile

$36,010

Top Paying Jobs in Odessa

Similar Occupations in Odessa

Other roles inside the Odessa, TX MSA from the same SOC major group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Cooks, Short Order make in Odessa?
The median annual salary for Cooks, Short Order in Odessa, TX is $24,350 ($11.71/hour). The salary range spans from $23,000 at the 10th percentile to $36,010 at the 90th percentile.
Is Odessa a good place to work as a Cooks, Short Order?
Cooks, Short Order in Odessa, TX earns 32% below the national median of $35,880. There are approximately 70 Cooks, Short Order jobs in this metro area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

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