Institutional cook demographics and statistics in the US
Institutional cook demographics research summary. Zippia estimates institutional cook demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our institutional cook estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about institutional cooks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,600 institutional cooks currently employed in the United States.
- 27.0% of all institutional cooks are women, while 73.0% are men.
- The average institutional cook age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of institutional cooks is White (63.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.2%), Asian (6.7%) and Black or African American (5.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 6% of all institutional cooks are LGBT.
- Institutional cooks are 55% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Institutional cook demographics by:
Institutional cook gender statistics
27.0% of institutional cooks are women and 73.0% of institutional cooks are men.
- Male, 73.0%
- Female, 27.0%
Institutional cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 73.0% |
| Female | 27.0% |
Institutional cook gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,301
Female income
$30,280
Institutional cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in institutional cook positions over time. Currently, 27.0% of institutional cooks are female.
Institutional cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.34% | 29.66% |
| 2011 | 70.74% | 29.26% |
| 2012 | 71.76% | 28.24% |
| 2013 | 71.85% | 28.15% |
| 2014 | 73.03% | 26.97% |
| 2015 | 72.31% | 27.69% |
| 2016 | 73.14% | 26.86% |
| 2017 | 73.18% | 26.82% |
| 2018 | 72.50% | 27.50% |
| 2019 | 72.25% | 27.75% |
| 2020 | 72.98% | 27.02% |
| 2021 | 73.03% | 26.97% |
Institutional cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared institutional cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Institutional Cook | 73% | 27% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Institutional cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among institutional cooks is White, which makes up 63.2% of all institutional cooks. Comparatively, 18.2% of institutional cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 6.7% of institutional cooks are Asian.
- White, 63.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.2%
- Asian, 6.7%
- Black or African American, 5.7%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
Institutional cook race
| Institutional cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.2% |
| Asian | 6.7% |
| Black or African American | 5.7% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
Institutional cook race and ethnicity over time
See how institutional cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Institutional cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.57% | 7.30% | 5.58% | 16.55% |
| 2011 | 67.37% | 8.49% | 5.61% | 15.07% |
| 2012 | 67.04% | 8.02% | 5.41% | 16.03% |
| 2013 | 67.19% | 7.87% | 5.40% | 16.23% |
| 2014 | 66.76% | 7.74% | 5.68% | 16.18% |
| 2015 | 66.80% | 7.50% | 5.78% | 16.29% |
| 2016 | 66.48% | 7.15% | 5.70% | 16.76% |
| 2017 | 65.63% | 6.78% | 5.87% | 17.33% |
| 2018 | 66.73% | 6.76% | 5.75% | 16.82% |
| 2019 | 66.78% | 6.35% | 6.11% | 16.75% |
| 2020 | 64.77% | 5.70% | 6.37% | 16.95% |
| 2021 | 63.23% | 5.69% | 6.66% | 18.25% |
Institutional cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian institutional cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american institutional cooks have the lowest average salary at $30,887.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,103 |
| White | $31,140 |
| Black or African American | $30,887 |
| Asian | $31,801 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,582 |
Average institutional cook age
See how the average age of institutional cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Institutional cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
Institutional cook age breakdown
The average age of institutional cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the institutional cook population.
Institutional cook age breakdown
| Institutional Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Institutional cook educational attainment
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Associate, 28%
- Diploma, 17%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Institutional cooks by degree level
| Institutional cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Associate | 28% |
| Diploma | 17% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Institutional cook jobs you might like
Institutional cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, institutional cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $32,062 annually. With a Associate degree, institutional cooks earn a median annual income of $31,445 compared to $30,870 for institutional cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,870 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,062 |
| No Education | $30,571 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,445 |
Institutional cook employment statistics
Most institutional cooks work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where institutional cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where institutional cooks work.
Institutional cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 16% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Institutional cook jobs by company type
Employees with the institutional cook job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most institutional cooks prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Institutional cook jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 15% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 55% |
| Government | 18% |
Institutional cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for institutional cooks are health care, government and non profits.
Institutional cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 19% |
| Government | 14% |
| Non Profits | 12% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Education | 12% |
| Hospitality | 9% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
Institutional cook turnover and employment statistics
Institutional cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for institutional cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Institutional cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Institutional cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average institutional cook tenure
The average institutional cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 113 institutional cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Institutional cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 20% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Institutional cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of institutional cooks that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Nutrition Helper | 6.78% | 14,664 |
| Host/Waiter | 7.02% | 73,399 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Associate Food Scientist | 7.36% | 160,215 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Barista, Manager | 8.43% | 53,939 |
Similar institutional cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition Helper | 6.78% | 14,664 |
| Host/Waiter | 7.02% | 73,399 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Associate Food Scientist | 7.36% | 160,215 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Barista, Manager | 8.43% | 53,939 |
