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Best states for a line cook
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to line cook jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Although there are abundant line cook jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Nevada is the best state in the country for line cook jobs.
The median salary for line cooks in Nevada is $34,347. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $24,626, which ranked worst for line cooks, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Nevada is the best state for line cook jobs, whereas Alabama is the worst.
10 best states for line cooks in 2026
1. Nevada
Total line cook jobs: 497 Average annual salary: $34,347 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
2. Hawaii
Total line cook jobs: 130 Average annual salary: $45,602 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
3. Colorado
Total line cook jobs: 1,343 Average annual salary: $35,466 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
4. Washington
Total line cook jobs: 866 Average annual salary: $40,911 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
5. Alaska
Total line cook jobs: 127 Average annual salary: $35,759 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
6. Arizona
Total line cook jobs: 1,499 Average annual salary: $32,634 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
7. Oregon
Total line cook jobs: 555 Average annual salary: $36,322 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
8. Wyoming
Total line cook jobs: 105 Average annual salary: $32,912 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
9. Utah
Total line cook jobs: 621 Average annual salary: $32,604 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
10. Connecticut
Total line cook jobs: 515 Average annual salary: $35,847 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
Line cook jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a line cook
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a line cook
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $34,347 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 497 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $45,602 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 130 |
| 3 | Colorado | $35,466 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,343 |
| 4 | Washington | $40,911 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 866 |
| 5 | Alaska | $35,759 | $29,000 | 739,795 | 127 |
| 6 | Arizona | $32,634 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,499 |
| 7 | Oregon | $36,322 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 555 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $32,912 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 105 |
| 9 | Utah | $32,604 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 621 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $35,847 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 515 |
| 11 | New York | $36,745 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,927 |
| 12 | California | $38,746 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,365 |
| 13 | Vermont | $35,723 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 68 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $36,107 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,087 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $33,211 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,273 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $31,187 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,267 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $34,460 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 182 |
| 18 | Maine | $33,323 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 190 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $34,483 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,202 |
| 20 | Michigan | $30,285 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,594 |
| 21 | Illinois | $31,639 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,352 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $32,865 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 127 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $31,179 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 144 |
| 24 | Florida | $29,935 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,923 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $28,533 | $22,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,827 |
| 26 | Idaho | $30,635 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 297 |
| 27 | Texas | $29,127 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,914 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $35,990 | $28,000 | 693,972 | 97 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $30,403 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 385 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $30,149 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 892 |
| 31 | Ohio | $28,778 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,331 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $29,384 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 377 |
| 33 | Missouri | $28,495 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,557 |
| 34 | Delaware | $31,717 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 167 |
| 35 | Kansas | $28,087 | $22,000 | 2,913,123 | 780 |
| 36 | Iowa | $28,488 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 693 |
| 37 | Montana | $29,200 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 210 |
| 38 | Maryland | $30,824 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 992 |
| 39 | Georgia | $28,388 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,046 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $26,835 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 728 |
| 41 | Indiana | $27,390 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,666 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $27,933 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,221 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $26,107 | $20,000 | 3,930,864 | 980 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $28,671 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 116 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $27,463 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,035 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $26,239 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,068 |
| 47 | Virginia | $28,933 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,468 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $25,022 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 957 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $22,619 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 636 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $24,545 | $19,000 | 1,815,857 | 279 |
| 51 | Alabama | $24,626 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 797 |
Highest paying states for line cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Line Cook Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $34,347 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $45,602 |
| 3 | Colorado | $35,466 |
| 4 | Washington | $40,911 |
| 5 | Alaska | $35,759 |
| 6 | Arizona | $32,634 |
| 7 | Oregon | $36,322 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $32,912 |
| 9 | Utah | $32,604 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $35,847 |
| 11 | New York | $36,745 |
| 12 | California | $38,746 |
| 13 | Vermont | $35,723 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $36,107 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $33,211 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $31,187 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $34,460 |
| 18 | Maine | $33,323 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $34,483 |
| 20 | Michigan | $30,285 |
| 21 | Illinois | $31,639 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $32,865 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $31,179 |
| 24 | Florida | $29,935 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $28,533 |
| 26 | Idaho | $30,635 |
| 27 | Texas | $29,127 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $35,990 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $30,403 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $30,149 |
| 31 | Ohio | $28,778 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $29,384 |
| 33 | Missouri | $28,495 |
| 34 | Delaware | $31,717 |
| 35 | Kansas | $28,087 |
| 36 | Iowa | $28,488 |
| 37 | Montana | $29,200 |
| 38 | Maryland | $30,824 |
| 39 | Georgia | $28,388 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $26,835 |
| 41 | Indiana | $27,390 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $27,933 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $26,107 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $28,671 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $27,463 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $26,239 |
| 47 | Virginia | $28,933 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $25,022 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $22,619 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $24,545 |
| 51 | Alabama | $24,626 |
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Updated January 8, 2025