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Cook/server salary
Average cook/server salary
$14.29
Understanding Cook/Server Salaries
The average cook/server salary in October 2025 stands at $29,716 annually, which translates to approximately $14 per hour. Salaries can vary widely based on several factors, including geographic location, establishment type, and individual experience level.
Salary Variations by State
For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled staff. In contrast, states with lower living costs might present lower average salaries.
Impact of Experience
Experience plays a significant role in salary progression. Entry-level positions typically start at the lower end of the pay scale, while seasoned professionals can command higher rates. Additionally, cooks and servers working in upscale establishments or those with specialized skills may see increased compensation.
Job Opportunities
With a steady demand for culinary and service professionals, there are numerous job openings across various sectors, including restaurants, catering services, and hospitality venues. Exploring these opportunities can lead to a rewarding career path.
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Where can a Cook/Server earn more?
Average cook/server salary by state
The average cook/server salary in Alaska, Washington, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cook/server salary states are Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cook/servers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $32,016 | $15.39 |
| 2 | Alaska | $40,354 | $19.40 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $34,389 | $16.53 |
| 4 | Washington | $36,560 | $17.58 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $29,412 | $14.14 |
| 6 | Oregon | $35,010 | $16.83 |
| 7 | Michigan | $29,211 | $14.04 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $35,142 | $16.90 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $32,483 | $15.62 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $32,338 | $15.55 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $32,228 | $15.49 |
| 12 | Maine | $32,725 | $15.73 |
| 13 | Utah | $29,348 | $14.11 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $31,180 | $14.99 |
| 15 | California | $33,579 | $16.14 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $31,317 | $15.06 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $29,422 | $14.15 |
| 18 | Ohio | $27,269 | $13.11 |
| 19 | Vermont | $32,530 | $15.64 |
| 20 | Montana | $29,791 | $14.32 |
| 21 | New York | $31,528 | $15.16 |
| 22 | Idaho | $30,376 | $14.60 |
| 23 | Illinois | $29,489 | $14.18 |
| 24 | Colorado | $27,456 | $13.20 |
| 25 | Maryland | $29,179 | $14.03 |
| 26 | Iowa | $26,623 | $12.80 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $24,815 | $11.93 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $25,138 | $12.09 |
| 29 | Missouri | $27,014 | $12.99 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $28,860 | $13.88 |
| 31 | Arizona | $26,775 | $12.87 |
| 32 | Indiana | $26,373 | $12.68 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $27,595 | $13.27 |
| 34 | Nevada | $27,249 | $13.10 |
| 35 | Texas | $24,426 | $11.74 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $23,436 | $11.27 |
| 37 | Virginia | $25,054 | $12.05 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $23,819 | $11.45 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $24,703 | $11.88 |
| 40 | Kansas | $24,494 | $11.78 |
| 41 | Delaware | $25,825 | $12.42 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $21,598 | $10.38 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $24,275 | $11.67 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $22,670 | $10.90 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $26,292 | $12.64 |
| 46 | Florida | $21,404 | $10.29 |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $27,499 | $13.22 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $22,499 | $10.82 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $21,377 | $10.28 |
| 50 | Alabama | $21,185 | $10.19 |
| 51 | Georgia | $21,590 | $10.38 |
Highest paying cities for cook/servers
The highest-paying cities for cook/servers are Bellingham, WA, Portland, OR, and Troy, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellingham, WA | $36,775 | $17.68 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $35,058 | $16.85 |
| 3 | Troy, NY | $32,892 | $15.81 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $32,856 | $15.80 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $32,492 | $15.62 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $31,731 | $15.26 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $29,635 | $14.25 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $29,421 | $14.14 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $29,400 | $14.13 |
| 10 | Mason City, IA | $27,774 | $13.35 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $27,590 | $13.26 |
| 12 | Colorado Springs, CO | $27,048 | $13.00 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $26,867 | $12.92 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $26,846 | $12.91 |
| 15 | Springfield, MO | $26,337 | $12.66 |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $24,931 | $11.99 |
| 17 | Dallas, TX | $24,495 | $11.78 |
| 18 | Bristol, TN | $23,668 | $11.38 |
| 19 | Central, LA | $22,430 | $10.78 |
| 20 | Rock Hill, SC | $21,885 | $10.52 |
Cook/Servers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Cook/server salary details
A cook/server's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cook/server's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying cook/server jobs
The highest paying types of cook/servers are caterer/server, bartender server, and prep cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew Member | $28,946 | $2,412 | $13.92 | 239,413 |
| Mexican Food Cook | $31,039 | $2,587 | $14.92 | 275,588 |
| Kitchen Cook | $31,452 | $2,621 | $15.12 | 250,354 |
| Grill Cook | $31,895 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 184,603 |
| Prep Cook | $32,292 | $2,691 | $15.53 | 168,265 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
Top companies hiring cook/servers now:
Which companies pay cook/servers the most?
Cook/server salaries at The Harley School and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cook/server salary at companies like Brigham and Women's Hospital and University of California are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Harley School | $63,126 | $30.35 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $43,542 | $20.93 |
| 3 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $42,683 | $20.52 |
| 4 | University of California | $40,196 | $19.32 |
| 5 | Feather Falls Casino | $40,085 | $19.27 |
| 6 | Eagle Ranch | $39,769 | $19.12 |
| 7 | Miami Valley Gaming | $39,297 | $18.89 |
| 8 | Fidelity Investments | $38,376 | $18.45 |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology | $38,356 | $18.44 |
| 10 | UC Santa Barbara | $37,741 | $18.14 |
| 11 | Chewy | $36,472 | $17.53 |
| 12 | John Muir Health | $35,429 | $17.03 |
| 13 | PeaceHealth | $35,192 | $16.92 |
| 14 | University Of Minnesota Physicians | $35,080 | $16.87 |
| 15 | The University of Kansas Health System | $34,960 | $16.81 |
| 16 | Deerfield Management | $34,716 | $16.69 |
| 17 | Home Health & Hospice Care | $34,668 | $16.67 |
| 18 | Chesapeake Energy | $34,491 | $16.58 |
| 19 | Monarch Healthcare | $34,224 | $16.45 |
| 20 | University of Pennsylvania | $34,142 | $16.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cook/server salary trends
The average cook/server salary has risen by $6,714 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cook/server earned $23,002 annually, but today, they earn $29,716 a year. That works out to a 21% change in pay for cook/servers over the last decade.
Compare cook/server salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cook/server salary over time
Compare cook/server salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cook/server salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $29,700 | $14.29 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | $28,300 | $13.62 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $26,800 | $12.89 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $25,500 | $12.24 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | $24,500 | $11.79 | +2.7% |
Recently added cook/server salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmh | Support Services Cook I | Lewiston, ME | 06/30/2025 | $37,566 |
| The University of Vermont Health Network | Production Cook-Nutritional Services | Plattsburgh, NY | 06/29/2025 | $44,912 |
| Augustana College | Cook, Dining Services-Augustana College | Rock Island, IL | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| University of Iowa | Cook I Patient Services | Iowa City, IA | 06/28/2025 | $36,689 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | Cook/Server | Estherville, IA | 06/27/2025 | $32,035 |
| Casino and | Cook II/Cashier-Full House Cafe-Graveyard/Swing Shifts) | Black Hawk, CO | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Amergis | Cook-Nutrition Services | Boston, MA | 06/27/2025 | $43,827 |
| Fargo Public Schools | Nutrition Services Cook | Fargo, ND | 06/26/2025 | $40,592 |
| Pepi Foods | Cook Server Night Shift | Black, AL | 06/26/2025 | $25,044 |
| Bally's Corporation | Cook II/Cashier-Full House Cafe-Graveyard/Swing Shifts) | Black Hawk, CO | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
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