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Best states for a grill cook
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Grill cook opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for grill cooks, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for grill cooks.Our research found that Washington is the best state for grill cooks, while Washington and Oregon are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Washington has a median salary of $40,257 and Washington has the highest median salary among all 50 states for grill cooks.
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 grill cooks.We found that Washington is the best state for grill cook jobs, whereas Kansas is the worst.
10 best states for grill cooks in 2026
1. Washington
Total grill cook jobs: 690 Average annual salary: $40,257 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
2. Connecticut
Total grill cook jobs: 403 Average annual salary: $37,360 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
3. Wyoming
Total grill cook jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $33,577 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
4. Minnesota
Total grill cook jobs: 942 Average annual salary: $34,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
5. Alaska
Total grill cook jobs: 118 Average annual salary: $35,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
6. Oregon
Total grill cook jobs: 407 Average annual salary: $37,787 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.63
7. Illinois
Total grill cook jobs: 1,753 Average annual salary: $34,342 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
8. Colorado
Total grill cook jobs: 1,092 Average annual salary: $33,766 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
9. North Dakota
Total grill cook jobs: 110 Average annual salary: $34,178 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
10. California
Total grill cook jobs: 3,839 Average annual salary: $36,916 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
Grill cook jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a grill cook
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a grill cook
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,257 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 690 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $37,360 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 403 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $33,577 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 97 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $34,723 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 942 |
| 5 | Alaska | $35,723 | $30,000 | 739,795 | 118 |
| 6 | Oregon | $37,787 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 407 |
| 7 | Illinois | $34,342 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,753 |
| 8 | Colorado | $33,766 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,092 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $34,178 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 110 |
| 10 | California | $36,916 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,839 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $35,735 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 154 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $36,320 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 848 |
| 13 | Vermont | $34,779 | $28,000 | 623,657 | 57 |
| 14 | Nevada | $30,464 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 372 |
| 15 | Michigan | $30,315 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,202 |
| 16 | Idaho | $31,840 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 214 |
| 17 | Arizona | $30,388 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,328 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $31,187 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,604 |
| 19 | New York | $34,483 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,366 |
| 20 | Maine | $33,190 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 117 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $31,039 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 715 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $35,506 | $28,000 | 1,427,538 | 83 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $30,811 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 267 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $33,292 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 812 |
| 25 | Indiana | $28,776 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,239 |
| 26 | Utah | $30,158 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 460 |
| 27 | Ohio | $28,511 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,706 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $32,563 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 106 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $35,348 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 79 |
| 30 | Delaware | $31,618 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 134 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $26,903 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 769 |
| 32 | Montana | $29,733 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 163 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $25,773 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 666 |
| 34 | Iowa | $29,056 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 468 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $27,553 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,625 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $26,141 | $20,000 | 3,930,864 | 730 |
| 37 | Missouri | $27,340 | $21,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,122 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $26,699 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 665 |
| 39 | Florida | $26,827 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,622 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $26,629 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 761 |
| 41 | Maryland | $30,491 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 728 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $28,382 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 94 |
| 43 | Virginia | $29,105 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,165 |
| 44 | Texas | $25,580 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,671 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $26,357 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 316 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $24,244 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,332 |
| 47 | Georgia | $26,659 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,466 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $24,044 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 239 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $22,405 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 474 |
| 50 | Alabama | $24,229 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 707 |
| 51 | Kansas | $23,134 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 546 |
Highest paying states for grill cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Grill Cook Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,257 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $37,360 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $33,577 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $34,723 |
| 5 | Alaska | $35,723 |
| 6 | Oregon | $37,787 |
| 7 | Illinois | $34,342 |
| 8 | Colorado | $33,766 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $34,178 |
| 10 | California | $36,916 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $35,735 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $36,320 |
| 13 | Vermont | $34,779 |
| 14 | Nevada | $30,464 |
| 15 | Michigan | $30,315 |
| 16 | Idaho | $31,840 |
| 17 | Arizona | $30,388 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $31,187 |
| 19 | New York | $34,483 |
| 20 | Maine | $33,190 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $31,039 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $35,506 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $30,811 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $33,292 |
| 25 | Indiana | $28,776 |
| 26 | Utah | $30,158 |
| 27 | Ohio | $28,511 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $32,563 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $35,348 |
| 30 | Delaware | $31,618 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $26,903 |
| 32 | Montana | $29,733 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $25,773 |
| 34 | Iowa | $29,056 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $27,553 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $26,141 |
| 37 | Missouri | $27,340 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $26,699 |
| 39 | Florida | $26,827 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $26,629 |
| 41 | Maryland | $30,491 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $28,382 |
| 43 | Virginia | $29,105 |
| 44 | Texas | $25,580 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $26,357 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $24,244 |
| 47 | Georgia | $26,659 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $24,044 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $22,405 |
| 50 | Alabama | $24,229 |
| 51 | Kansas | $23,134 |
Grill cook best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025