Best states for an institutional cook

Q: What is the best state for institutional cooks?

The best state to be an institutional cook is Mississippi based on institutional cook salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for institutional cooks?

The highest paying state for institutional cooks is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for institutional cooks?

The worst state for institutional cooks is Illinois, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for institutional cooks in the United States. Institutional cook positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for institutional cooks.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for institutional cooks. We found that Mississippi is the best state in the nation for institutional cooks, and people in Pacifica earn the most in the field.

The median salary for institutional cooks in Mississippi is $37,663. Compare that to the median salary in Illinois of $25,875, which ranked worst for institutional cooks, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Mississippi is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for institutional cooks.

10 best states for institutional cooks in 2025

1. Mississippi
Total institutional cook jobs: 462
Average annual salary: $37,663
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Institutional cook jobs in Mississippi
2. Utah
Total institutional cook jobs: 478
Average annual salary: $41,700
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Institutional cook jobs in Utah
3. Idaho
Total institutional cook jobs: 237
Average annual salary: $37,040
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Institutional cook jobs in Idaho
4. California
Total institutional cook jobs: 3,638
Average annual salary: $44,466
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
0.88
Institutional cook jobs in California
5. Alaska
Total institutional cook jobs: 114
Average annual salary: $37,788
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Institutional cook jobs in Alaska
6. North Dakota
Total institutional cook jobs: 114
Average annual salary: $38,200
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Institutional cook jobs in North Dakota
7. Nebraska
Total institutional cook jobs: 216
Average annual salary: $37,979
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Institutional cook jobs in Nebraska
8. Nevada
Total institutional cook jobs: 268
Average annual salary: $34,779
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Institutional cook jobs in Nevada
9. Pennsylvania
Total institutional cook jobs: 1,823
Average annual salary: $31,429
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Institutional cook jobs in Pennsylvania
10. Washington
Total institutional cook jobs: 719
Average annual salary: $37,677
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
0.7
Institutional cook jobs in Washington

Institutional cook jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an institutional cook

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an institutional cook

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Mississippi	$37,663	$31,000	2,984,100	462
2	Utah	$41,700	$33,000	3,101,833	478
3	Idaho	$37,040	$30,000	1,716,943	237
4	California	$44,466	$36,000	39,536,653	3,638
5	Alaska	$37,788	$32,000	739,795	114
6	North Dakota	$38,200	$31,000	755,393	114
7	Nebraska	$37,979	$31,000	1,920,076	216
8	Nevada	$34,779	$28,000	2,998,039	268
9	Pennsylvania	$31,429	$26,000	12,805,537	1,823
10	Washington	$37,677	$30,000	7,405,743	719
11	Oklahoma	$29,770	$24,000	3,930,864	717
12	Maine	$34,804	$30,000	1,335,907	144
13	Maryland	$35,857	$29,000	6,052,177	825
14	Massachusetts	$36,245	$31,000	6,859,819	874
15	Tennessee	$29,149	$24,000	6,715,984	1,186
16	Wyoming	$31,364	$25,000	579,315	75
17	West Virginia	$29,563	$24,000	1,815,857	251
18	Hawaii	$37,358	$32,000	1,427,538	95
19	New Jersey	$34,938	$29,000	9,005,644	910
20	Kentucky	$29,128	$24,000	4,454,189	660
21	Michigan	$30,464	$25,000	9,962,311	945
22	Montana	$30,130	$24,000	1,050,493	180
23	Oregon	$33,190	$26,000	4,142,776	451
24	Minnesota	$30,622	$25,000	5,576,606	909
25	New York	$33,098	$28,000	19,849,399	1,501
26	Rhode Island	$31,930	$27,000	1,059,639	112
27	Colorado	$30,591	$25,000	5,607,154	829
28	North Carolina	$29,790	$24,000	10,273,419	1,391
29	Connecticut	$31,857	$27,000	3,588,184	387
30	New Hampshire	$31,715	$27,000	1,342,795	152
31	Alabama	$29,701	$24,000	4,874,747	538
32	Delaware	$31,298	$26,000	961,939	129
33	Virginia	$30,402	$25,000	8,470,020	1,227
34	Arizona	$29,179	$23,000	7,016,270	903
35	Indiana	$28,077	$23,000	6,666,818	1,053
36	South Dakota	$29,181	$24,000	869,666	99
37	Ohio	$28,298	$23,000	11,658,609	1,340
38	Wisconsin	$28,559	$23,000	5,795,483	727
39	New Mexico	$26,886	$21,000	2,088,070	351
40	Iowa	$27,109	$22,000	3,145,711	567
41	Vermont	$29,940	$26,000	623,657	58
42	Georgia	$28,910	$24,000	10,429,379	1,260
43	Texas	$25,924	$21,000	28,304,596	3,730
44	South Carolina	$27,290	$22,000	5,024,369	673
45	Arkansas	$24,622	$20,000	3,004,279	548
46	District of Columbia	$30,819	$25,000	693,972	76
47	Missouri	$25,881	$21,000	6,113,532	1,012
48	Kansas	$25,495	$20,000	2,913,123	550
49	Louisiana	$23,913	$19,000	4,684,333	662
50	Florida	$24,680	$20,000	20,984,400	2,785
51	Illinois	$25,875	$21,000	12,802,023	1,349

Highest paying states for institutional cooks

Rank	State	Avg. Institutional Cook Salary
1	Mississippi	$37,663
2	Utah	$41,700
3	Idaho	$37,040
4	California	$44,466
5	Alaska	$37,788
6	North Dakota	$38,200
7	Nebraska	$37,979
8	Nevada	$34,779
9	Pennsylvania	$31,429
10	Washington	$37,677
11	Oklahoma	$29,770
12	Maine	$34,804
13	Maryland	$35,857
14	Massachusetts	$36,245
15	Tennessee	$29,149
16	Wyoming	$31,364
17	West Virginia	$29,563
18	Hawaii	$37,358
19	New Jersey	$34,938
20	Kentucky	$29,128
21	Michigan	$30,464
22	Montana	$30,130
23	Oregon	$33,190
24	Minnesota	$30,622
25	New York	$33,098
26	Rhode Island	$31,930
27	Colorado	$30,591
28	North Carolina	$29,790
29	Connecticut	$31,857
30	New Hampshire	$31,715
31	Alabama	$29,701
32	Delaware	$31,298
33	Virginia	$30,402
34	Arizona	$29,179
35	Indiana	$28,077
36	South Dakota	$29,181
37	Ohio	$28,298
38	Wisconsin	$28,559
39	New Mexico	$26,886
40	Iowa	$27,109
41	Vermont	$29,940
42	Georgia	$28,910
43	Texas	$25,924
44	South Carolina	$27,290
45	Arkansas	$24,622
46	District of Columbia	$30,819
47	Missouri	$25,881
48	Kansas	$25,495
49	Louisiana	$23,913
50	Florida	$24,680
51	Illinois	$25,875

Institutional cook best states FAQs

What is the best state for institutional cooks?

What is the highest paying state for institutional cooks?

What is the worst state for institutional cooks?

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Best states for Institutional Cooks

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total institutional cook jobs:	462
Average annual salary:	$37,663
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$31,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$45,000
Location Quotient:	1.54

Best states for an institutional cook

10 best states for institutional cooks in 2025

1. Mississippi

2. Utah

3. Idaho

4. California

5. Alaska

6. North Dakota

7. Nebraska

8. Nevada

9. Pennsylvania

10. Washington