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Job outlook for dietary cooks in the United States
Dietary cook job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected dietary cook job growth rate is 16% from 2018-2028.
About 419,300 new jobs for dietary cooks are projected over the next decade.
Dietary cook salaries have increased 16% for dietary cooks in the last 5 years.
There are over 369,849 dietary cooks currently employed in the United States.
There are 191,406 active dietary cook job openings in the US.
The average dietary cook salary is $27,365.
Are dietary cook jobs in demand?
Dietary cook job and salary trends over time
Dietary cook jobs over time
Dietary cook job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 369,849 | 0.11% |
| 2020 | 364,128 | 0.11% |
| 2019 | 380,198 | 0.11% |
| 2018 | 377,771 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | 380,800 | 0.12% |
Average dietary cook salary over time
Dietary cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,365 | $13.16 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $26,506 | $12.74 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $25,656 | $12.33 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $24,701 | $11.88 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | $23,640 | $11.37 | +3.3% |
Dietary cook jobs by state
Most common states for dietary cooks
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 743 | 26% |
| 2 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,671 | 25% |
| 3 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,592 | 24% |
| 4 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 963 | 22% |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 862 | 22% |
| 6 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 662 | 22% |
| 7 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,293 | 21% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,147 | 20% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 643 | 20% |
| 10 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 608 | 20% |
| 11 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 3,987 | 19% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,970 | 19% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,049 | 19% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 976 | 19% |
| 15 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 5,127 | 18% |
| 16 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,102 | 18% |
| 17 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,240 | 18% |
| 18 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 846 | 18% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 186 | 18% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 96 | 17% |
Most common cities for dietary cooks
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Royalton | 4 | 13% | $25,845 |
| 2 | Cortlandt | 4 | 10% | $31,810 |
| 3 | Lima | 3 | 8% | $25,779 |
| 4 | Daytona Beach | 3 | 5% | $24,102 |
| 5 | Mobile | 5 | 3% | $27,031 |
| 6 | Hampton | 4 | 3% | $27,325 |
| 7 | Rochester | 4 | 2% | $31,862 |
| 8 | Paterson | 3 | 2% | $25,679 |
| 9 | Miami | 5 | 1% | $23,936 |
| 10 | Cleveland | 4 | 1% | $25,885 |
| 11 | Birmingham | 3 | 1% | $27,066 |
| 12 | Cincinnati | 3 | 1% | $25,567 |
| 13 | Saint Louis | 3 | 1% | $23,353 |
| 14 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $30,774 |
| 15 | Philadelphia | 3 | 0% | $28,120 |
Dietary Cook job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of dietary cook experts
The University of Mississippi
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Director, Center for Health and Sports PerformanceThe University of Mississippi
Department of Nutrition & Hospitality Management
What skills stand out on Dietary Cook resumes?
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.: Volunteer or paid experience in a health-related or food service field; knowledge of general nutrition, food allergies, texture modifications, special diets, factors that impact dietary intake, i.e., economic, environmental (access), social (living arrangements), etc.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Dietary Cooks?
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.: Word processing, excel, timely communication/documentation
What skills will help Dietary Cooks earn the most?
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.: Lifelong learning to advance knowledge/skills; good work ethic, team approach (patient-centric)