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Best states for a cook/team member
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and food preparation and restaurant careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to cook/team member jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for cook/team members.Although there are abundant cook/team member jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Michigan is the best state in the country for cook/team member jobs.
In order to get you the best states for cook/team members, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that Michigan is the best state for cook/team member jobs, whereas Nebraska is the worst.
10 best states for cook/team members in 2025
1. Michigan
Total cook/team member jobs: 2,897 Average annual salary: $28,468 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
2. West Virginia
Total cook/team member jobs: 612 Average annual salary: $27,080 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
3. Illinois
Total cook/team member jobs: 4,999 Average annual salary: $26,805 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
4. Connecticut
Total cook/team member jobs: 1,224 Average annual salary: $28,522 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
5. New Hampshire
Total cook/team member jobs: 447 Average annual salary: $34,147 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
6. Maine
Total cook/team member jobs: 346 Average annual salary: $31,855 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
7. New York
Total cook/team member jobs: 3,827 Average annual salary: $29,994 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
8. Massachusetts
Total cook/team member jobs: 2,316 Average annual salary: $32,587 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
9. New Jersey
Total cook/team member jobs: 2,221 Average annual salary: $29,567 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. Washington
Total cook/team member jobs: 1,907 Average annual salary: $29,195 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
Cook/team member jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a cook/team member
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a cook/team member
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $28,468 | $20,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,897 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $27,080 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 612 |
| 3 | Illinois | $26,805 | $20,000 | 12,802,023 | 4,999 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $28,522 | $20,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,224 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $34,147 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 447 |
| 6 | Maine | $31,855 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 346 |
| 7 | New York | $29,994 | $21,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,827 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $32,587 | $24,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,316 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $29,567 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,221 |
| 10 | Washington | $29,195 | $21,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,907 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $28,488 | $20,000 | 1,059,639 | 315 |
| 12 | Vermont | $28,198 | $21,000 | 623,657 | 198 |
| 13 | Kentucky | $23,492 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,884 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $25,985 | $19,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,318 |
| 15 | Delaware | $26,558 | $19,000 | 961,939 | 434 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $23,308 | $17,000 | 6,715,984 | 2,469 |
| 17 | Ohio | $23,387 | $17,000 | 11,658,609 | 4,134 |
| 18 | California | $28,331 | $20,000 | 39,536,653 | 9,135 |
| 19 | Arizona | $24,561 | $18,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,266 |
| 20 | Colorado | $24,871 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,464 |
| 21 | Missouri | $24,775 | $18,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,071 |
| 22 | Idaho | $24,688 | $18,000 | 1,716,943 | 551 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $22,920 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,081 |
| 24 | Oregon | $27,224 | $19,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,022 |
| 25 | Alabama | $22,537 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,913 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $22,815 | $17,000 | 579,315 | 247 |
| 27 | Utah | $24,018 | $17,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,093 |
| 28 | Texas | $22,762 | $17,000 | 28,304,596 | 8,903 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $24,169 | $17,000 | 755,393 | 261 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $23,376 | $17,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,765 |
| 31 | Florida | $22,576 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 8,026 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $23,748 | $17,000 | 2,088,070 | 567 |
| 33 | Maryland | $25,476 | $18,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,079 |
| 34 | Montana | $23,186 | $17,000 | 1,050,493 | 342 |
| 35 | Nevada | $23,154 | $17,000 | 2,998,039 | 589 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $27,220 | $20,000 | 693,972 | 257 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $21,969 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 884 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $22,430 | $16,000 | 12,805,537 | 4,173 |
| 39 | Alaska | $23,782 | $18,000 | 739,795 | 237 |
| 40 | Virginia | $23,455 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 3,011 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $22,290 | $16,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,786 |
| 42 | Indiana | $20,785 | $15,000 | 6,666,818 | 3,065 |
| 43 | Iowa | $21,794 | $16,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,241 |
| 44 | Kansas | $21,561 | $16,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,125 |
| 45 | Georgia | $21,795 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 4,023 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $21,492 | $16,000 | 10,273,419 | 3,461 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $23,114 | $20,000 | 1,427,538 | 225 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,050 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,183 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $22,152 | $16,000 | 869,666 | 233 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $20,568 | $15,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,287 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $21,000 | $15,000 | 1,920,076 | 522 |
Highest paying states for cook/team members
| Rank | State | Avg. Cook/Team Member Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $28,468 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $27,080 |
| 3 | Illinois | $26,805 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $28,522 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $34,147 |
| 6 | Maine | $31,855 |
| 7 | New York | $29,994 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $32,587 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $29,567 |
| 10 | Washington | $29,195 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $28,488 |
| 12 | Vermont | $28,198 |
| 13 | Kentucky | $23,492 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $25,985 |
| 15 | Delaware | $26,558 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $23,308 |
| 17 | Ohio | $23,387 |
| 18 | California | $28,331 |
| 19 | Arizona | $24,561 |
| 20 | Colorado | $24,871 |
| 21 | Missouri | $24,775 |
| 22 | Idaho | $24,688 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $22,920 |
| 24 | Oregon | $27,224 |
| 25 | Alabama | $22,537 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $22,815 |
| 27 | Utah | $24,018 |
| 28 | Texas | $22,762 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $24,169 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $23,376 |
| 31 | Florida | $22,576 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $23,748 |
| 33 | Maryland | $25,476 |
| 34 | Montana | $23,186 |
| 35 | Nevada | $23,154 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $27,220 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $21,969 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $22,430 |
| 39 | Alaska | $23,782 |
| 40 | Virginia | $23,455 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $22,290 |
| 42 | Indiana | $20,785 |
| 43 | Iowa | $21,794 |
| 44 | Kansas | $21,561 |
| 45 | Georgia | $21,795 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $21,492 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $23,114 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,050 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $22,152 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $20,568 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $21,000 |
Cook/team member best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025