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Best states for a prep cook
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like prep cooks are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for prep cooks aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant prep cook jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Washington is the best state in the country for prep cook jobs.
The median salary for prep cooks in Washington is $40,515. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $22,487, which ranked worst for prep cooks, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a prep cook, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for prep cooks in 2025
1. Washington
Total prep cook jobs: 697 Average annual salary: $40,515 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.53
2. Minnesota
Total prep cook jobs: 1,000 Average annual salary: $34,856 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
3. Illinois
Total prep cook jobs: 2,104 Average annual salary: $33,836 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
4. Oregon
Total prep cook jobs: 473 Average annual salary: $36,575 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
5. Wyoming
Total prep cook jobs: 96 Average annual salary: $34,022 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
6. Nevada
Total prep cook jobs: 424 Average annual salary: $31,991 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
7. New Hampshire
Total prep cook jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $36,658 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.54
8. Arizona
Total prep cook jobs: 1,345 Average annual salary: $32,232 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
9. Colorado
Total prep cook jobs: 1,225 Average annual salary: $33,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
10. California
Total prep cook jobs: 3,859 Average annual salary: $37,212 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
Prep cook jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a prep cook
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a prep cook
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,515 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 697 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $34,856 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,000 |
| 3 | Illinois | $33,836 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,104 |
| 4 | Oregon | $36,575 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 473 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $34,022 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 96 |
| 6 | Nevada | $31,991 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 424 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $36,658 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 170 |
| 8 | Arizona | $32,232 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,345 |
| 9 | Colorado | $33,723 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,225 |
| 10 | California | $37,212 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,859 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $35,703 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 955 |
| 12 | Idaho | $32,433 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 244 |
| 13 | New York | $35,498 | $28,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,677 |
| 14 | Alaska | $33,302 | $28,000 | 739,795 | 119 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $36,736 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 107 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $31,968 | $25,000 | 755,393 | 121 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $30,748 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 360 |
| 18 | Vermont | $33,295 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 63 |
| 19 | Utah | $31,400 | $24,000 | 3,101,833 | 480 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $34,360 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,004 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $33,420 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 436 |
| 22 | Indiana | $29,105 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,558 |
| 23 | Maine | $31,755 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 162 |
| 24 | Michigan | $29,332 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,441 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $30,174 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,861 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $30,620 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 726 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $30,145 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 362 |
| 28 | Ohio | $28,444 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,046 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $34,846 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 79 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $31,755 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 111 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $28,070 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,472 |
| 32 | Delaware | $31,626 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 143 |
| 33 | Missouri | $28,141 | $21,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,403 |
| 34 | Kansas | $27,920 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 710 |
| 35 | Maryland | $31,077 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 874 |
| 36 | Montana | $29,137 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 183 |
| 37 | Iowa | $28,116 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 595 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $26,488 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 867 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $25,933 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 937 |
| 40 | Florida | $27,042 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,283 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $25,755 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 675 |
| 42 | Texas | $26,261 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,062 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $28,396 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 113 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $26,603 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 904 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $26,153 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,983 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $25,128 | $19,000 | 3,930,864 | 865 |
| 47 | Virginia | $28,692 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,189 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $21,322 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 598 |
| 49 | Georgia | $23,975 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,837 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $23,766 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 243 |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,487 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 725 |
Highest paying states for prep cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Prep Cook Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,515 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $34,856 |
| 3 | Illinois | $33,836 |
| 4 | Oregon | $36,575 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $34,022 |
| 6 | Nevada | $31,991 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $36,658 |
| 8 | Arizona | $32,232 |
| 9 | Colorado | $33,723 |
| 10 | California | $37,212 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $35,703 |
| 12 | Idaho | $32,433 |
| 13 | New York | $35,498 |
| 14 | Alaska | $33,302 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $36,736 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $31,968 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $30,748 |
| 18 | Vermont | $33,295 |
| 19 | Utah | $31,400 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $34,360 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $33,420 |
| 22 | Indiana | $29,105 |
| 23 | Maine | $31,755 |
| 24 | Michigan | $29,332 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $30,174 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $30,620 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $30,145 |
| 28 | Ohio | $28,444 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $34,846 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $31,755 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $28,070 |
| 32 | Delaware | $31,626 |
| 33 | Missouri | $28,141 |
| 34 | Kansas | $27,920 |
| 35 | Maryland | $31,077 |
| 36 | Montana | $29,137 |
| 37 | Iowa | $28,116 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $26,488 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $25,933 |
| 40 | Florida | $27,042 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $25,755 |
| 42 | Texas | $26,261 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $28,396 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $26,603 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $26,153 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $25,128 |
| 47 | Virginia | $28,692 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $21,322 |
| 49 | Georgia | $23,975 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $23,766 |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,487 |
Prep cook best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025