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Job outlook for prep cooks in the United States
Prep cook job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected prep cook job growth rate is 16% from 2018-2028.
About 419,300 new jobs for prep cooks are projected over the next decade.
Prep cook salaries have increased 19% for prep cooks in the last 5 years.
There are over 1,347,582 prep cooks currently employed in the United States.
There are 168,265 active prep cook job openings in the US.
The average prep cook salary is $32,292.
Are prep cook jobs in demand?
Yes, prep cook jobs are in demand. Prep cook demand is projected to grow 16% from 2018 to 2028.
Prep cook job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of prep cook jobs and the average prep cook salary over time.
Prep cook jobs over time
Prep cook job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,347,582 | 0.40% |
| 2020 | 1,284,605 | 0.38% |
| 2019 | 1,615,880 | 0.48% |
| 2018 | 1,572,642 | 0.47% |
| 2017 | 1,509,754 | 0.46% |
Average prep cook salary over time
Prep cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,292 | $15.53 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $31,160 | $14.98 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $29,747 | $14.30 | +5.4% |
| 2022 | $28,233 | $13.57 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | $27,067 | $13.01 | +4.5% |
Prep cook jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of prep cook job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where prep cooks earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for prep cooks
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 710 | 24% |
| 2 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,558 | 23% |
| 3 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,403 | 23% |
| 4 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,472 | 22% |
| 5 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,225 | 22% |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 865 | 22% |
| 7 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 675 | 22% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 937 | 21% |
| 9 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 4,283 | 20% |
| 10 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 598 | 20% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,983 | 19% |
| 12 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,345 | 19% |
| 13 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 867 | 19% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 595 | 19% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 360 | 19% |
| 16 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 5,062 | 18% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,046 | 18% |
| 18 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,837 | 18% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,000 | 18% |
| 20 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 904 | 18% |
Most common cities for prep cooks
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kissimmee | 50 | 72% | $27,066 |
| 2 | Fort Lauderdale | 103 | 58% | $26,693 |
| 3 | Orlando | 150 | 54% | $27,081 |
| 4 | Miami | 162 | 36% | $26,662 |
| 5 | Scottsdale | 83 | 34% | $32,336 |
| 6 | Austin | 223 | 24% | $26,200 |
| 7 | Tampa | 89 | 24% | $27,075 |
| 8 | Plano | 64 | 22% | $26,193 |
| 9 | Dallas | 248 | 19% | $26,173 |
| 10 | Fort Worth | 131 | 15% | $26,277 |
| 11 | Atlanta | 68 | 14% | $24,120 |
| 12 | Arlington | 53 | 13% | $26,223 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 157 | 10% | $32,379 |
| 14 | Mesa | 50 | 10% | $32,275 |
| 15 | Las Vegas | 49 | 8% | $31,802 |
| 16 | San Jose | 48 | 5% | $37,916 |
| 17 | Chicago | 80 | 3% | $33,990 |
| 18 | Los Angeles | 69 | 2% | $36,993 |
| 19 | New York | 112 | 1% | $35,438 |