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Best states for a cook
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for cooks? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for cook jobs.In fact, our research shows that Hawaii is the best state for cooks in America. The best city in America for cooks with the highest pay is Seattle, WA.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for cooks.We found that the South is best for cooks, and the Northeast is the worst. Seattle, WA is the best city in the country for cook jobs, where as Hawaii is the best state in the country.
10 best states for cooks in 2026
1. Hawaii
Total cook jobs: 109 Average annual salary: $44,295 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
2. Connecticut
Total cook jobs: 505 Average annual salary: $35,991 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
3. Nevada
Total cook jobs: 416 Average annual salary: $33,011 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
4. Washington
Total cook jobs: 843 Average annual salary: $36,804 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.62
5. New Jersey
Total cook jobs: 1,014 Average annual salary: $37,026 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
6. Massachusetts
Total cook jobs: 1,045 Average annual salary: $36,549 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.61
7. New Hampshire
Total cook jobs: 189 Average annual salary: $35,492 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
8. Minnesota
Total cook jobs: 1,093 Average annual salary: $33,535 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
9. Arizona
Total cook jobs: 1,542 Average annual salary: $30,480 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
10. New York
Total cook jobs: 1,669 Average annual salary: $36,236 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
Cook jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a cook
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a cook
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,295 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 109 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $35,991 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 505 |
| 3 | Nevada | $33,011 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 416 |
| 4 | Washington | $36,804 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 843 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $37,026 | $29,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,014 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $36,549 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,045 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $35,492 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 189 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $33,535 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,093 |
| 9 | Arizona | $30,480 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,542 |
| 10 | New York | $36,236 | $28,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,669 |
| 11 | Vermont | $35,225 | $28,000 | 623,657 | 75 |
| 12 | California | $35,925 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,300 |
| 13 | Michigan | $30,431 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,561 |
| 14 | Maine | $33,797 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 148 |
| 15 | Colorado | $31,042 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,373 |
| 16 | Oregon | $33,951 | $26,000 | 4,142,776 | 480 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $30,693 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,912 |
| 18 | Illinois | $31,121 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,097 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $33,277 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 131 |
| 20 | Delaware | $32,066 | $25,000 | 961,939 | 166 |
| 21 | Florida | $28,804 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,400 |
| 22 | Alaska | $29,681 | $23,000 | 739,795 | 177 |
| 23 | Ohio | $28,477 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,950 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $29,602 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 908 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $29,754 | $23,000 | 755,393 | 130 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $35,312 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 95 |
| 27 | Utah | $28,848 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 529 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $25,967 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,518 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $27,257 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,925 |
| 30 | Indiana | $26,872 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,469 |
| 31 | Maryland | $31,887 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 816 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $27,476 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 105 |
| 33 | Virginia | $29,793 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,387 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $28,688 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 130 |
| 35 | Iowa | $27,561 | $21,000 | 3,145,711 | 560 |
| 36 | Idaho | $28,114 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 246 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $27,461 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 314 |
| 38 | Texas | $25,763 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,425 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $27,029 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 371 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $26,048 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 907 |
| 41 | Missouri | $25,785 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,355 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $25,289 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 881 |
| 43 | Georgia | $26,650 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,858 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $23,591 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 752 |
| 45 | Montana | $26,577 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 190 |
| 46 | Kansas | $23,414 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 662 |
| 47 | Alabama | $24,383 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 854 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $23,081 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 801 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $23,280 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 760 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,950 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 601 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $23,234 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 286 |
Highest paying states for cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Cook Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,295 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $35,991 |
| 3 | Nevada | $33,011 |
| 4 | Washington | $36,804 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $37,026 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $36,549 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $35,492 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $33,535 |
| 9 | Arizona | $30,480 |
| 10 | New York | $36,236 |
| 11 | Vermont | $35,225 |
| 12 | California | $35,925 |
| 13 | Michigan | $30,431 |
| 14 | Maine | $33,797 |
| 15 | Colorado | $31,042 |
| 16 | Oregon | $33,951 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $30,693 |
| 18 | Illinois | $31,121 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $33,277 |
| 20 | Delaware | $32,066 |
| 21 | Florida | $28,804 |
| 22 | Alaska | $29,681 |
| 23 | Ohio | $28,477 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $29,602 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $29,754 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $35,312 |
| 27 | Utah | $28,848 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $25,967 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $27,257 |
| 30 | Indiana | $26,872 |
| 31 | Maryland | $31,887 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $27,476 |
| 33 | Virginia | $29,793 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $28,688 |
| 35 | Iowa | $27,561 |
| 36 | Idaho | $28,114 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $27,461 |
| 38 | Texas | $25,763 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $27,029 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $26,048 |
| 41 | Missouri | $25,785 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $25,289 |
| 43 | Georgia | $26,650 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $23,591 |
| 45 | Montana | $26,577 |
| 46 | Kansas | $23,414 |
| 47 | Alabama | $24,383 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $23,081 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $23,280 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,950 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $23,234 |
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Updated January 8, 2025