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Cook/server salary
Average cook/server salary
$14.29
How much does a cook/server make?
The average cook/server salary in the United States is $29,716. Cook/server salaries typically range between $23,000 and $37,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for cook/servers is $14.29 per hour.
Cook/server salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Cook/servers earn the highest average salary in Alaska.
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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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