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Cook/dishwasher salary
Average cook/dishwasher salary
$15.24
Understanding the Cook/Dishwasher Salary
The average annual salary for a Cook/Dishwasher is about $31,703, translating to roughly $15 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, with entry-level positions starting lower and seasoned professionals earning more. Additionally, geographic location heavily influences pay; states like California and New York often offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for culinary staff.
Salary by Experience
- Entry-Level: $25,000 - $28,000
- Mid-Level: $30,000 - $35,000
- Experienced: $40,000+
Job opportunities for cooks and dishwashers are abundant, particularly in urban areas with a high concentration of restaurants and hotels. Furthermore, those willing to work in fine dining establishments may find higher-paying roles, enhancing their overall earnings potential.
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Where can a Cook/Dishwasher earn more?
Cook/dishwasher salaries by experience level
Average cook/dishwasher salary by state
The highest-paying states for cook/dishwashers are Washington, California, and Maine. The lowest average cook/dishwasher salary states are Georgia, South Dakota, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cook/dishwashers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $36,153 | $17.38 |
| 2 | Nevada | $33,553 | $16.13 |
| 3 | Utah | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 4 | Washington | $42,753 | $20.55 |
| 5 | California | $38,725 | $18.62 |
| 6 | Montana | $33,617 | $16.16 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $34,368 | $16.52 |
| 8 | Oregon | $36,783 | $17.68 |
| 9 | Maine | $37,565 | $18.06 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $32,359 | $15.56 |
| 11 | Colorado | $30,659 | $14.74 |
| 12 | Vermont | $35,808 | $17.22 |
| 13 | Alaska | $32,262 | $15.51 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $29,742 | $14.30 |
| 15 | Idaho | $31,306 | $15.05 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $29,312 | $14.09 |
| 17 | Ohio | $28,622 | $13.76 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $32,480 | $15.62 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $32,086 | $15.43 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $32,457 | $15.60 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $30,155 | $14.50 |
| 22 | Michigan | $28,389 | $13.65 |
| 23 | Arizona | $27,499 | $13.22 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $31,643 | $15.21 |
| 25 | Texas | $26,735 | $12.85 |
| 26 | Kansas | $29,303 | $14.09 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $25,873 | $12.44 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $25,389 | $12.21 |
| 29 | Delaware | $29,227 | $14.05 |
| 30 | New York | $30,349 | $14.59 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $31,640 | $15.21 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $25,562 | $12.29 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $25,506 | $12.26 |
| 34 | Iowa | $25,906 | $12.45 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $25,417 | $12.22 |
| 36 | Alabama | $25,317 | $12.17 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $31,468 | $15.13 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $25,161 | $12.10 |
| 39 | Illinois | $26,699 | $12.84 |
| 40 | Missouri | $26,247 | $12.62 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $27,404 | $13.18 |
| 42 | Indiana | $24,919 | $11.98 |
| 43 | New Jersey | $28,620 | $13.76 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $24,193 | $11.63 |
| 45 | Maryland | $27,151 | $13.05 |
| 46 | Florida | $20,966 | $10.08 |
| 47 | Georgia | $24,786 | $11.92 |
| 48 | Virginia | $25,425 | $12.22 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $24,705 | $11.88 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,014 | $10.58 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $22,585 | $10.86 |
Highest paying cities for cook/dishwashers
The highest-paying cities for cook/dishwashers are Tacoma, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tacoma, WA | $43,088 | $20.72 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $40,831 | $19.63 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $36,704 | $17.65 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $33,275 | $16.00 |
| 5 | Bethlehem, PA | $32,736 | $15.74 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $30,706 | $14.76 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $30,314 | $14.57 |
| 8 | Grand Rapids, MI | $28,218 | $13.57 |
| 9 | Duluth, MN | $28,170 | $13.54 |
| 10 | Flagstaff, AZ | $27,989 | $13.46 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $26,839 | $12.90 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $26,710 | $12.84 |
| 13 | Saint Louis, MO | $26,087 | $12.54 |
| 14 | Sioux City, IA | $25,981 | $12.49 |
| 15 | Durham, NC | $25,695 | $12.35 |
| 16 | Kingsport, TN | $25,577 | $12.30 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $24,925 | $11.98 |
| 18 | Sioux Falls, SD | $24,592 | $11.82 |
| 19 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $23,698 | $11.39 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $22,515 | $10.82 |
Cook/Dishwashers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Cook/dishwasher salary details
A cook/dishwasher's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $40,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cook/dishwasher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying cook/dishwasher jobs
The highest paying types of cook/dishwashers are head cook, line cook/dishwasher, and assistant cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican Food Cook | $31,039 | $2,587 | $14.92 | 275,588 |
| Short Order Cook | $30,734 | $2,561 | $14.78 | 176,187 |
| Kitchen Helper | $25,796 | $2,150 | $12.40 | 80,202 |
| Kitchen Cook | $31,452 | $2,621 | $15.12 | 250,354 |
| Grill Cook | $31,895 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 184,603 |
| Prep Cook | $32,292 | $2,691 | $15.53 | 168,265 |
Top companies hiring cook/dishwashers now:
Which companies pay cook/dishwashers the most?
Cook/dishwasher salaries at New Seasons Market and National Pancake House are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cook/dishwasher salary at companies like Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants and Greenwich Country Club are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Seasons Market | $37,270 | $17.92 |
| 2 | National Pancake House | $35,146 | $16.90 |
| 3 | Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants | $34,399 | $16.54 |
| 4 | Greenwich Country Club | $32,920 | $15.83 |
| 5 | SherrillTree | $32,603 | $15.67 |
| 6 | Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc | $32,477 | $15.61 |
| 7 | First Class Workforce Solutions | $32,460 | $15.61 |
| 8 | All Team Staffing, Inc. | $31,912 | $15.34 |
| 9 | Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions | $31,612 | $15.20 |
| 10 | ManpowerGroup | $31,558 | $15.17 |
| 11 | sweetgreen | $31,448 | $15.12 |
| 12 | Corner Bakery Cafe | $31,054 | $14.93 |
| 13 | Covenant Care | $31,031 | $14.92 |
| 14 | Mission Health Communities | $30,892 | $14.85 |
| 15 | Elwood Staffing | $30,799 | $14.81 |
| 16 | Mission Health Services | $30,755 | $14.79 |
| 17 | E & S Inc | $30,521 | $14.67 |
| 18 | PeopleReady | $30,391 | $14.61 |
| 19 | Outback Steakhouse | $29,902 | $14.38 |
| 20 | Acadia Healthcare | $29,894 | $14.37 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cook/dishwasher salary trends
The average cook/dishwasher salary has risen by $8,669 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cook/dishwasher earned $23,034 annually, but today, they earn $31,703 a year. That works out to a 21% change in pay for cook/dishwashers over the last decade.
Compare cook/dishwasher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cook/dishwasher salary over time
Compare cook/dishwasher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cook/dishwasher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,700 | $15.24 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $30,100 | $14.46 | +5.2% |
| 2023 | $28,500 | $13.71 | +5.4% |
| 2022 | $27,000 | $12.97 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $26,100 | $12.55 | +7.0% |
Recently added cook/dishwasher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Verve Hotel-Boston Natick | Cook/Dishwasher | Natick, MA | 06/27/2025 | $36,523 |
| One Egg Group LLC | Kitchen Team-Cooks & Dishwashers | Manhattan, KS | 06/24/2025 | $27,131 |
| One Egg Group LLC | Kitchen Team-Cooks & Dishwashers | Manhattan, KS | 05/28/2025 | $27,131 |
| Winnebago Tribe | Dishwasher Cooks Aide II | Winnebago, NE | 05/23/2025 | $32,119 |
| One Egg Group LLC | Kitchen Team-Cooks and Dishwashers | Manhattan, KS | 04/30/2025 | $22,957 |
| Gyukaku | Cook + Dishwasher GYU Kaku Japanese BBQ SAN Diego CA | San Diego, CA | 04/23/2025 | $38,714 |
| One Egg Group LLC | Kitchen Team-Cooks & Dishwashers | Manhattan, KS | 03/31/2025 | $27,131 |
| Manpowergroup | Cook/Dishwasher | Marion, NC | 03/19/2025 | $20,870 |
| Cordata Court Assisted Living and Memory Care | Cook/Dishwasher | Bellingham, WA | 03/16/2025 | $33,976 |
| Visitgreenvillesc | Cook/Dishwasher | Greenville, SC | 02/18/2025 | $30,262 |
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