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Cook/baker salary
Average cook/baker salary
$15.79
Understanding Cook/Baker Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Cook/Baker in the United States stands at approximately $32,844 per year. This figure translates to about $16 an hour, reflecting the diverse range of positions within the culinary industry. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the type of establishment where you work.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with several years of experience can command higher salaries. For instance, experienced Cook/Bakers in upscale restaurants or bakery chains often earn above the average due to their specialized skills and expertise.
Top Paying States and Cities
When considering a career as a Cook/Baker, it’s valuable to know where the highest salaries are located. States like California and New York offer competitive compensation, with major cities such as New York City and San Francisco leading the way in pay rates. Understanding these dynamics can help you make informed career decisions.
Explore various job listings to find opportunities that align with your skills and salary expectations, whether you’re just starting or looking to advance your career.
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Where can a Cook/Baker earn more?
Cook/baker salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level cook/baker | $24,600 | $11.84 |
| Mid-level cook/baker | $29,700 | $14.30 |
| Senior-level cook/baker | $35,300 | $16.99 |
Average cook/baker salary by state
The highest-paying states for cook/bakers are Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The lowest average cook/baker salary states are Kansas, Louisiana, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cook/bakers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $47,037 | $22.61 |
| 2 | Nevada | $34,416 | $16.55 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $41,997 | $20.19 |
| 4 | Arizona | $32,663 | $15.70 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $39,345 | $18.92 |
| 6 | Oregon | $38,342 | $18.43 |
| 7 | Illinois | $33,826 | $16.26 |
| 8 | Washington | $39,094 | $18.80 |
| 9 | Colorado | $34,449 | $16.56 |
| 10 | Idaho | $33,081 | $15.90 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $33,923 | $16.31 |
| 12 | New York | $36,553 | $17.57 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $35,456 | $17.05 |
| 14 | Michigan | $30,880 | $14.85 |
| 15 | California | $36,886 | $17.73 |
| 16 | Ohio | $29,671 | $14.26 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $34,367 | $16.52 |
| 18 | Maine | $33,490 | $16.10 |
| 19 | Vermont | $34,833 | $16.75 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $31,918 | $15.35 |
| 21 | Missouri | $30,222 | $14.53 |
| 22 | Indiana | $29,173 | $14.03 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $33,253 | $15.99 |
| 24 | Alaska | $32,357 | $15.56 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $30,238 | $14.54 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $36,205 | $17.41 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $27,818 | $13.37 |
| 28 | Florida | $27,851 | $13.39 |
| 29 | Delaware | $32,134 | $15.45 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $28,593 | $13.75 |
| 31 | Utah | $29,059 | $13.97 |
| 32 | Iowa | $27,363 | $13.16 |
| 33 | Texas | $26,842 | $12.90 |
| 34 | Maryland | $30,609 | $14.72 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $27,153 | $13.05 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $27,380 | $13.16 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $25,164 | $12.10 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $28,504 | $13.70 |
| 39 | Montana | $26,778 | $12.87 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $25,193 | $12.11 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $24,857 | $11.95 |
| 42 | Virginia | $28,681 | $13.79 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $25,582 | $12.30 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $25,375 | $12.20 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $26,830 | $12.90 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $23,789 | $11.44 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $24,317 | $11.69 |
| 48 | Georgia | $24,204 | $11.64 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $22,461 | $10.80 |
| 50 | Kansas | $24,795 | $11.92 |
| 51 | Alabama | $24,188 | $11.63 |
Highest paying cities for cook/bakers
The highest-paying cities for cook/bakers are Seattle, WA, Santa Rosa, CA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $39,401 | $18.94 |
| 2 | Santa Rosa, CA | $37,861 | $18.20 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $36,222 | $17.41 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs, CO | $34,338 | $16.51 |
| 5 | Glenview, IL | $34,165 | $16.43 |
| 6 | Fargo, ND | $32,349 | $15.55 |
| 7 | Wilmington, DE | $32,341 | $15.55 |
| 8 | Crown Point, IN | $29,738 | $14.30 |
| 9 | Manassas, VA | $29,731 | $14.29 |
| 10 | Beavercreek, OH | $28,648 | $13.77 |
| 11 | Altamonte Springs, FL | $27,922 | $13.42 |
| 12 | Albuquerque, NM | $27,781 | $13.36 |
| 13 | Des Moines, IA | $27,169 | $13.06 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $25,367 | $12.20 |
| 15 | Lafayette, LA | $24,481 | $11.77 |
| 16 | Canton, GA | $24,379 | $11.72 |
| 17 | Auburn, AL | $24,035 | $11.56 |
Cook/baker salary details
A cook/baker's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cook/baker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| Average | $32,844 | $2,737 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying cook/baker jobs
The highest paying types of cook/bakers are head cook, lead cook, and banquet cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican Food Cook | $31,039 | $2,587 | $14.92 | 275,588 |
| Short Order Cook | $30,734 | $2,561 | $14.78 | 176,187 |
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Kitchen Cook | $31,452 | $2,621 | $15.12 | 250,354 |
| Dietary Cook | $27,365 | $2,280 | $13.16 | 191,406 |
| Grill Cook | $31,895 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 184,603 |
Top companies hiring cook/bakers now:
Which companies pay cook/bakers the most?
Cook/baker salaries at Santa Rosa City Schools and Kettering Health Network are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cook/baker salary at companies like University of Washington and King County are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa City Schools | $37,367 | $17.96 |
| 2 | Kettering Health Network | $37,162 | $17.87 |
| 3 | University of Washington | $36,276 | $17.44 |
| 4 | King County | $35,162 | $16.90 |
| 5 | PCC Community Markets | $34,125 | $16.41 |
| 6 | Kern Community College District | $33,845 | $16.27 |
| 7 | Medstar Health | $33,803 | $16.25 |
| 8 | SAGE Dining Services | $33,198 | $15.96 |
| 9 | Elior North America | $33,007 | $15.87 |
| 10 | Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County | $32,690 | $15.72 |
| 11 | Rane LLC | $32,453 | $15.60 |
| 12 | Ess | $32,440 | $15.60 |
| 13 | Buena Vista University | $32,310 | $15.53 |
| 14 | Panera Bread | $31,830 | $15.30 |
| 15 | Highgate Hotels | $31,561 | $15.17 |
| 16 | Northside Hospital | $31,360 | $15.08 |
| 17 | HCR ManorCare | $31,234 | $15.02 |
| 18 | Aramark | $31,054 | $14.93 |
| 19 | Loma Linda University Health | $30,730 | $14.77 |
| 20 | ProMedica Toledo Hospital | $30,462 | $14.65 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cook/Baker salary by industry
The average cook/baker salary varies across industries:
- The average cook/baker salary in the hospitality industry is $32,857, the highest of any industry.
- The average cook/baker salary in the finance industry is $32,530.
- Cook/bakers in the health care industry earn an average salary of $31,856, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for cook/bakers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $32,857 | $15.80 |
| 2 | Technology | $32,530 | $15.64 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $32,475 | $15.61 |
| 4 | Retail | $31,943 | $15.36 |
| 5 | Health Care | $31,856 | $15.32 |
High paying cook/baker jobs
Cook/baker salary trends
The average cook/baker salary has risen by $7,663 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cook/baker earned $25,181 annually, but today, they earn $32,844 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for cook/bakers over the last decade.
Compare cook/baker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cook/baker salary over time
Compare cook/baker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cook/baker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,800 | $15.79 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $31,700 | $15.24 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $30,300 | $14.55 | +5.1% |
| 2023 | $28,700 | $13.81 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $27,500 | $13.24 | +4.3% |
Recently added cook/baker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bettendorf Community School District | Cook/Baker | Bode, IA | 06/24/2025 | $36,689 |
| Virginia Beach Public School | Baker/Cook | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/18/2025 | $34,018 |
| PCC Natural Markets | Overnight Baker/Cook | Seattle, WA | 06/13/2025 | $43,848 |
| Carroll County Schools | Cook/Baker-Cchs | Carrollton, KY | 06/13/2025 | $30,992 |
| Ohio Department of Education | Baker/Cook | Wadsworth, OH | 05/29/2025 | $33,079 |
| Wadsworth City Schools | Baker/Cook | Enon, OH | 05/28/2025 | $33,079 |
| Toppenish School District | SY-Cook/Baker | Toppenish, WA | 05/22/2025 | $40,509 |
| Owensboro Public Schools | Cook/Baker-Multiple Positions-Location and Hours Vary School Year) | Owensboro, KY | 05/19/2025 | $27,653 |
| Carroll County Schools | Ccms ~ Cook/Baker | Carrollton, KY | 05/16/2025 | $30,992 |
| Panama-Buena Vista Union School District | Cook Baker School Year) | Bakersfield, CA | 05/16/2025 | $39,757 |
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