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Cafeteria cook salary
Average cafeteria cook salary
$14.61
Understanding Cafeteria Cook Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a cafeteria cook in the United States stands at approximately $30,395 annually, or around $15 per hour. This salary can fluctuate significantly based on state and city, with certain areas offering higher compensation due to cost-of-living differences and demand for skilled cooks.
Average Salary by Experience
Entry-level cafeteria cooks typically earn less than their more experienced counterparts. For instance, those with less than a year of experience may start at around $25,000, while seasoned cooks with several years in the field can make over $35,000 annually. Additionally, specialized roles within larger institutions or schools may command higher salaries.
Top Paying Locations
Cities such as San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles frequently offer the highest salaries for cafeteria cooks, with rates reaching upwards of $40,000 per year. By understanding these dynamics, potential cooks can make informed decisions about where to apply for jobs and how to negotiate salaries.
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Where can a Cafeteria Cook earn more?
Cafeteria cook salaries by experience level
Average cafeteria cook salary by state
The average cafeteria cook salary in Utah, North Dakota, and Nebraska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cafeteria cook salary states are New Mexico, Illinois, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cafeteria cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $38,104 | $18.32 |
| 2 | Utah | $41,197 | $19.81 |
| 3 | Idaho | $36,499 | $17.55 |
| 4 | Alaska | $37,454 | $18.01 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $38,937 | $18.72 |
| 6 | Arizona | $33,721 | $16.21 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $38,402 | $18.46 |
| 8 | Nevada | $34,328 | $16.50 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $37,186 | $17.88 |
| 10 | California | $37,375 | $17.97 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $31,277 | $15.04 |
| 12 | Maine | $35,224 | $16.93 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $31,866 | $15.32 |
| 14 | Maryland | $36,449 | $17.52 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $30,146 | $14.49 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $29,791 | $14.32 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $30,062 | $14.45 |
| 18 | Colorado | $31,542 | $15.16 |
| 19 | Michigan | $30,881 | $14.85 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $29,725 | $14.29 |
| 21 | Alabama | $30,169 | $14.50 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $30,333 | $14.58 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $32,205 | $15.48 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $32,225 | $15.49 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $31,210 | $15.00 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $32,063 | $15.41 |
| 27 | Oregon | $32,575 | $15.66 |
| 28 | New York | $33,704 | $16.20 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $34,785 | $16.72 |
| 30 | Delaware | $31,747 | $15.26 |
| 31 | Montana | $30,103 | $14.47 |
| 32 | Indiana | $28,542 | $13.72 |
| 33 | Georgia | $29,480 | $14.17 |
| 34 | Virginia | $30,876 | $14.84 |
| 35 | Ohio | $28,689 | $13.79 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $29,628 | $14.24 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $27,777 | $13.35 |
| 38 | Florida | $27,175 | $13.06 |
| 39 | Texas | $26,969 | $12.97 |
| 40 | Vermont | $30,273 | $14.55 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $29,074 | $13.98 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $31,364 | $15.08 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $25,020 | $12.03 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $26,796 | $12.88 |
| 45 | Kansas | $25,861 | $12.43 |
| 46 | Missouri | $25,740 | $12.38 |
| 47 | Iowa | $27,500 | $13.22 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $23,988 | $11.53 |
| 49 | Washington | $28,721 | $13.81 |
| 50 | New Jersey | $28,763 | $13.83 |
| 51 | Illinois | $26,301 | $12.64 |
Highest paying cities for cafeteria cooks
The highest-paying cities for cafeteria cooks are Falmouth, MA, Whittier, CA, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falmouth, MA | $37,274 | $17.92 |
| 2 | Whittier, CA | $37,242 | $17.90 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $34,267 | $16.47 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $32,466 | $15.61 |
| 5 | Bethlehem, PA | $32,038 | $15.40 |
| 6 | Westminster, CO | $31,525 | $15.16 |
| 7 | Winchester, VA | $31,206 | $15.00 |
| 8 | Salisbury, NC | $30,363 | $14.60 |
| 9 | Bessemer, AL | $30,130 | $14.49 |
| 10 | Strongsville, OH | $29,004 | $13.94 |
| 11 | Renton, WA | $28,809 | $13.85 |
| 12 | Bridgewater, NJ | $28,734 | $13.81 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $28,492 | $13.70 |
| 14 | Mason City, IA | $27,684 | $13.31 |
| 15 | Key West, FL | $27,460 | $13.20 |
| 16 | Austin, TX | $27,089 | $13.02 |
| 17 | Naperville, IL | $26,329 | $12.66 |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA | $23,942 | $11.51 |
Cafeteria cook salary details
A cafeteria cook's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $36,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cafeteria cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $30,395 | $2,533 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying cafeteria cook jobs
The highest paying types of cafeteria cooks are head cook, cook chill technician, and mess cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook/Dietary Aide | $27,490 | $2,291 | $13.22 | 163,273 |
| Cook | $31,803 | $2,650 | $15.29 | 184,818 |
| Kitchen Cook | $31,452 | $2,621 | $15.12 | 250,354 |
| Head Cook | $44,412 | $3,701 | $21.35 | 156,227 |
| Prep Cook | $32,292 | $2,691 | $15.53 | 168,265 |
| Line Cook | $32,895 | $2,741 | $15.81 | 168,993 |
Top companies hiring cafeteria cooks now:
Which companies pay cafeteria cooks the most?
Cafeteria cook salaries at National Pancake House and Strongsville City Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cafeteria cook salary at companies like West Liberty Foods and God are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Pancake House | $35,695 | $17.16 |
| 2 | Strongsville City Schools | $34,498 | $16.59 |
| 3 | West Liberty Foods | $33,756 | $16.23 |
| 4 | God | $33,430 | $16.07 |
| 5 | St Luke's Hospital & Health Network Inc | $33,035 | $15.88 |
| 6 | UF Health Central Florida | $32,522 | $15.64 |
| 7 | Prairie View | $32,464 | $15.61 |
| 8 | Hyatt Hotels | $32,397 | $15.58 |
| 9 | Mandarin Oriental | $32,260 | $15.51 |
| 10 | CITRUS VALLEY PHYSICIANS GROUP | $31,690 | $15.24 |
| 11 | Devereux Arizona | $31,638 | $15.21 |
| 12 | Publix | $31,590 | $15.19 |
| 13 | Rosewood Hotels & Resorts | $31,544 | $15.17 |
| 14 | CAREL | $31,108 | $14.96 |
| 15 | Sodexo Management, Inc. | $31,060 | $14.93 |
| 16 | Grand Sierra Resort | $31,053 | $14.93 |
| 17 | Benchmark Hospitally | $31,035 | $14.92 |
| 18 | Hoag | $30,970 | $14.89 |
| 19 | Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center | $30,969 | $14.89 |
| 20 | yapo.cl | $30,911 | $14.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cafeteria cook salary trends
The average cafeteria cook salary has risen by $6,302 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cafeteria cook earned $24,093 annually, but today, they earn $30,395 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for cafeteria cooks over the last decade.
Compare cafeteria cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cafeteria cook salary over time
Compare cafeteria cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cafeteria cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $30,400 | $14.61 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $29,400 | $14.15 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $28,500 | $13.70 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $27,400 | $13.19 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | $26,300 | $12.62 | +3.2% |
Recently added cafeteria cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accorhotel | Cafeteria Cook III | San Diego, CA | 06/26/2025 | $48,794 |
| Silvis School District 34 | Cafeteria-Substitute Cook | Kane, IL | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| Manpowergroup | Corporate Cafeteria Cook | Belfast, ME | 06/21/2025 | $41,740 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Cafeteria Cook | Los Angeles, CA | 06/14/2025 | $52,425 |
| Catholic Health Initiatives | Cafeteria Cook | Chattanooga, TN | 06/13/2025 | $33,392 |
| Marriott International | Cafeteria Cook | Los Angeles, CA | 06/11/2025 | $52,425 |
| The Mark Hotel | Cafeteria Cook | New York, NY | 06/04/2025 | $37,566 |
| Highgate Hotels | Cafeteria Cook | Denver, CO | 05/21/2025 | $43,827 |
| Whitko Community School Corporation | Cafeteria Cook | Hope, IN | 05/20/2025 | $27,131 |
| New Directions Youth & Family Services | Cafeteria Cook | Lockport, NY | 05/13/2025 | $32,829 |
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