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Mexican food cook salary
Average mexican food cook salary
$14.92
Average Mexican Food Cook Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Mexican Food Cook in the United States is approximately $31,039 per year, translating to about $15 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on experience, location, and the type of establishment.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start around $28,000 annually, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $35,000. In bustling urban environments, these cooks may command higher wages due to increased demand.
Where Can You Earn More?
States like California and Texas often provide higher salaries for Mexican Food Cooks, influenced by the large population and strong cultural ties to Mexican cuisine. Additionally, cities such as Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago are among the top-paying locations.
Career Opportunities
With the growing popularity of Mexican cuisine, job prospects remain strong. Many cooks can advance to positions such as head chef or kitchen manager, enhancing their earning potential and career satisfaction. Explore your options in this dynamic field.
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Where can a Mexican Food Cook earn more?
Mexican food cook salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level mexican food cook | $23,300 | $11.19 |
| Mid-level mexican food cook | $28,100 | $13.51 |
| Senior-level mexican food cook | $33,400 | $16.06 |
Average mexican food cook salary by state
The average mexican food cook salary in Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average mexican food cook salary states are Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for mexican food cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $33,314 | $16.02 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $40,419 | $19.43 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $36,971 | $17.77 |
| 4 | Idaho | $33,852 | $16.27 |
| 5 | Washington | $38,625 | $18.57 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $39,973 | $19.22 |
| 7 | Maine | $33,108 | $15.92 |
| 8 | Oregon | $34,747 | $16.71 |
| 9 | Arizona | $30,909 | $14.86 |
| 10 | Illinois | $32,397 | $15.58 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $32,659 | $15.70 |
| 12 | New York | $34,515 | $16.59 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $33,701 | $16.20 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $33,232 | $15.98 |
| 15 | Vermont | $33,996 | $16.34 |
| 16 | California | $36,235 | $17.42 |
| 17 | Alaska | $31,778 | $15.28 |
| 18 | Michigan | $29,148 | $14.01 |
| 19 | Colorado | $31,576 | $15.18 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $30,480 | $14.65 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $31,548 | $15.17 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $29,493 | $14.18 |
| 23 | Missouri | $29,298 | $14.09 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $31,856 | $15.32 |
| 25 | Ohio | $28,108 | $13.51 |
| 26 | Indiana | $28,043 | $13.48 |
| 27 | Utah | $29,419 | $14.14 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $33,866 | $16.28 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $28,056 | $13.49 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $28,252 | $13.58 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $26,699 | $12.84 |
| 32 | Delaware | $30,117 | $14.48 |
| 33 | Florida | $26,996 | $12.98 |
| 34 | Montana | $27,600 | $13.27 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $27,305 | $13.13 |
| 36 | Texas | $25,936 | $12.47 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $24,229 | $11.65 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $24,821 | $11.93 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $24,760 | $11.90 |
| 40 | Iowa | $26,556 | $12.77 |
| 41 | Virginia | $27,232 | $13.09 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $24,843 | $11.94 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $26,236 | $12.61 |
| 44 | Maryland | $28,648 | $13.77 |
| 45 | Kansas | $24,138 | $11.60 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $23,293 | $11.20 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $22,853 | $10.99 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $21,696 | $10.43 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $22,585 | $10.86 |
| 50 | Alabama | $23,449 | $11.27 |
| 51 | Georgia | $23,572 | $11.33 |
Highest paying cities for mexican food cooks
The highest-paying cities for mexican food cooks are Boston, MA, Urban Honolulu, HI, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $40,448 | $19.45 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $39,997 | $19.23 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $38,808 | $18.66 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $36,018 | $17.32 |
| 5 | Albany, NY | $35,516 | $17.07 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $34,718 | $16.69 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $33,891 | $16.29 |
| 8 | Nashua, NH | $33,235 | $15.98 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $33,179 | $15.95 |
| 10 | Waukegan, IL | $32,848 | $15.79 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $32,635 | $15.69 |
| 12 | Boulder, CO | $31,687 | $15.23 |
| 13 | Bismarck, ND | $31,169 | $14.99 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,030 | $14.92 |
| 15 | Washington, UT | $29,944 | $14.40 |
| 16 | Troy, MI | $29,331 | $14.10 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $27,572 | $13.26 |
| 18 | Richmond, VA | $27,087 | $13.02 |
| 19 | Kearney, NE | $26,331 | $12.66 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $26,262 | $12.63 |
Mexican food cook salary details
A mexican food cook's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a mexican food cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $31,039 | $2,587 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying mexican food cook jobs
The highest paying types of mexican food cooks are head cook, lead cook, and assistant cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza Maker | $28,431 | $2,369 | $13.67 | 187,931 |
| Cook/Dishwasher | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 133,000 |
| Cook/Server | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14.29 | 257,582 |
| Food Preparer | $27,717 | $2,310 | $13.33 | 134,113 |
| Short Order Cook | $30,734 | $2,561 | $14.78 | 176,187 |
| Cook | $31,803 | $2,650 | $15.29 | 184,818 |
Top companies hiring mexican food cooks now:
Which companies pay mexican food cooks the most?
Mexican food cook salaries at Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research and Brigham and Women's Hospital are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mexican food cook salary at companies like Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Swinomish Casino & Lodge are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $47,042 | $22.62 |
| 2 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $36,055 | $17.33 |
| 3 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $35,679 | $17.15 |
| 4 | Swinomish Casino & Lodge | $35,223 | $16.93 |
| 5 | Mount Sinai Health System | $34,654 | $16.66 |
| 6 | Grand Sierra Resort | $34,578 | $16.62 |
| 7 | PeaceHealth | $34,225 | $16.45 |
| 8 | Great Wolf Resorts | $34,121 | $16.40 |
| 9 | Lunds & Byerlys | $34,059 | $16.37 |
| 10 | University Of Minnesota Physicians | $33,884 | $16.29 |
| 11 | Hawaii Pacific Health | $33,781 | $16.24 |
| 12 | BayCare Health System | $33,770 | $16.24 |
| 13 | Hudson Group | $33,621 | $16.16 |
| 14 | Bristol Farms | $33,193 | $15.96 |
| 15 | Cayuga Medical Center | $33,174 | $15.95 |
| 16 | Kindred Healthcare | $33,038 | $15.88 |
| 17 | TidalHealth | $32,928 | $15.83 |
| 18 | Casa Central | $32,874 | $15.80 |
| 19 | Wegmans Food Markets | $32,755 | $15.75 |
| 20 | Seafield Services | $32,746 | $15.74 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Mexican food cook salary trends
The average mexican food cook salary has risen by $7,243 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mexican food cook earned $23,796 annually, but today, they earn $31,039 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for mexican food cooks over the last decade.
Compare mexican food cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average mexican food cook salary over time
Compare mexican food cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Mexican food cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,000 | $14.92 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $30,000 | $14.40 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $28,600 | $13.75 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $27,100 | $13.05 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $26,000 | $12.51 | +4.3% |
Recently added mexican food cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crossamerica Partners LP | Food Service Cook | Northwood, OH | 06/30/2025 | $29,218 |
| Whole Foods | Prepared Foods Cook/Food Production | Philadelphia, PA | 06/29/2025 | $36,523 |
| Whole Foods | Prepared Foods Cook/Food Production | Huntersville, NC | 06/28/2025 | $32,349 |
| Nashua School District | Food Service Cook | Nashua, NH | 06/28/2025 | $38,192 |
| Delano Public Schools, ISD #879 | Food Service Cook | Nore, MN | 06/28/2025 | $37,983 |
| Bethany Village | Food Service Cook | Centerville, OH | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Episcopal Church Home | Food Service Cook | Rochester, NY | 06/27/2025 | $40,697 |
| Northwestern Medicine | Cook-Food & Nutrition, Days | Huntley, IL | 06/26/2025 | $40,947 |
| Whole Foods | Prepared Foods Cook/Food Production | Riverdale Park, MD | 06/26/2025 | $34,436 |
| Whole Foods | Prepared Foods Cook/Food Production | Cary, NC | 06/26/2025 | $32,349 |
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