Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
Cook salary
Average cook salary
$15.29
How much does a cook make?
The average cook salary in the United States is $31,803. Cook salaries typically range between $25,000 and $40,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for cooks is $15.29 per hour.
Cook salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Cooks earn the highest average salary in Hawaii.
Where can a Cook earn more?
Cook
| Experience Level | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level cook | $23,800 | $11.46 |
| Mid-level cook | $28,800 | $13.85 |
| Senior-level cook | $34,200 | $16.45 |
Cook salary estimates from across the web
Average cook salary by state
The average cook salary in Hawaii, New Jersey, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cook salary states are Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,295 | $21.30 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 3 | Nevada | $33,011 | $15.87 |
| 4 | Washington | $36,804 | $17.69 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $37,026 | $17.80 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $36,549 | $17.57 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $35,492 | $17.06 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $33,535 | $16.12 |
| 9 | Arizona | $30,480 | $14.65 |
| 10 | New York | $36,236 | $17.42 |
| 11 | Vermont | $35,225 | $16.94 |
| 12 | California | $35,925 | $17.27 |
| 13 | Michigan | $30,431 | $14.63 |
| 14 | Maine | $33,797 | $16.25 |
| 15 | Colorado | $31,042 | $14.92 |
| 16 | Oregon | $33,951 | $16.32 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $30,693 | $14.76 |
| 18 | Illinois | $31,121 | $14.96 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $33,277 | $16.00 |
| 20 | Delaware | $32,066 | $15.42 |
| 21 | Florida | $28,804 | $13.85 |
| 22 | Alaska | $29,681 | $14.27 |
| 23 | Ohio | $28,477 | $13.69 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $29,602 | $14.23 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $29,754 | $14.30 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $35,312 | $16.98 |
| 27 | Utah | $28,848 | $13.87 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $25,967 | $12.48 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $27,257 | $13.10 |
| 30 | Indiana | $26,872 | $12.92 |
| 31 | Maryland | $31,887 | $15.33 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $27,476 | $13.21 |
| 33 | Virginia | $29,793 | $14.32 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $28,688 | $13.79 |
| 35 | Iowa | $27,561 | $13.25 |
| 36 | Idaho | $28,114 | $13.52 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $27,461 | $13.20 |
| 38 | Texas | $25,763 | $12.39 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $27,029 | $12.99 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $26,048 | $12.52 |
| 41 | Missouri | $25,785 | $12.40 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $25,289 | $12.16 |
| 43 | Georgia | $26,650 | $12.81 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $23,591 | $11.34 |
| 45 | Montana | $26,577 | $12.78 |
| 46 | Kansas | $23,414 | $11.26 |
| 47 | Alabama | $24,383 | $11.72 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $23,081 | $11.10 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $23,280 | $11.19 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21,950 | $10.55 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $23,234 | $11.17 |
Highest paying cities for cooks
The highest-paying cities for cooks are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $37,003 | $17.79 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $36,696 | $17.64 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $36,587 | $17.59 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $36,239 | $17.42 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $35,335 | $16.99 |
| 6 | Portland, ME | $33,922 | $16.31 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $33,804 | $16.25 |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $33,515 | $16.11 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $32,833 | $15.79 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $32,072 | $15.42 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $31,331 | $15.06 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $31,009 | $14.91 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $30,892 | $14.85 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $30,519 | $14.67 |
| 15 | Washington, UT | $29,800 | $14.33 |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $29,669 | $14.26 |
| 17 | Milwaukee, WI | $29,616 | $14.24 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $28,995 | $13.94 |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $28,042 | $13.48 |
| 20 | Greenville, NC | $27,773 | $13.35 |
Cooks are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Cook salary details
A cook's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $40,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $31,803 | $2,650 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying cook jobs
The highest paying types of cooks are head cook, banquet cook, and line cook/dishwasher.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | $34,435 | $2,870 | $16.56 | 133,370 |
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $31,687 | $2,641 | $15.23 | 126,351 |
| Mexican Food Cook | $31,039 | $2,587 | $14.92 | 275,588 |
| Short Order Cook | $30,734 | $2,561 | $14.78 | 176,187 |
| Cook/Dishwasher | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 133,000 |
Which companies pay cooks the most?
Cook salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Kemps are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cook salary at companies like University of Massachusetts Boston and ZS are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $40,923 | $19.67 |
| 2 | Kemps | $40,839 | $19.63 |
| 3 | University of Massachusetts Boston | $40,784 | $19.61 |
| 4 | ZS | $40,223 | $19.34 |
| 5 | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | $39,711 | $19.09 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $39,679 | $19.08 |
| 7 | Uline | $39,241 | $18.87 |
| 8 | Aspen Snowmass | $39,101 | $18.80 |
| 9 | Bertucci's | $39,083 | $18.79 |
| 10 | National Pancake House | $38,501 | $18.51 |
| 11 | Palmetto | $38,470 | $18.50 |
| 12 | University of California | $38,437 | $18.48 |
| 13 | State Bar of Michigan | $38,413 | $18.47 |
| 14 | On The Border | $38,386 | $18.45 |
| 15 | Kohler Co. | $38,240 | $18.38 |
| 16 | J.F. Shea Co | $38,040 | $18.29 |
| 17 | Zoës Kitchen | $38,016 | $18.28 |
| 18 | Marquis Companies | $37,941 | $18.24 |
| 19 | UC Santa Barbara | $37,783 | $18.16 |
| 20 | Resorts World Catskills | $37,761 | $18.15 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cook salary by industry
The average cook salary varies across industries:
- The average cook salary in the government industry is $34,114, the highest of any industry.
- The average cook salary in the finance industry is $32,562.
- Cooks in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $27,814, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for cooks
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $34,114 | $16.40 |
| 2 | Health Care | $32,562 | $15.65 |
| 3 | Retail | $30,606 | $14.71 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $27,814 | $13.37 |
High Paying Cook Jobs
Cook salary trends
The average cook salary has risen by $7,420 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cook earned $24,383 annually, but today, they earn $31,803 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for cooks over the last decade.
Compare cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cook salary over time
Compare cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,800 | $15.29 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $30,700 | $14.75 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $29,300 | $14.08 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $27,800 | $13.37 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $26,700 | $12.82 | +4.3% |
Recently added cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Horizons Family Solutions | Child Care Center Cook | Birmingham, AL | 12/18/2024 | $30,095 |
| Stellar Senior Living [Parent | Cook | Worland, WY | 12/18/2024 | $27,131 |
| Worland Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center | Cook | Worland, WY | 12/18/2024 | $27,131 |
| Department of Defense | Cook A06 | Beaufort, SC | 12/18/2024 | $43,952 |
| Marriott International | Cook II | Wailea, HI | 12/17/2024 | $71,688 |
| Six Flags, Corp | Cook | San Antonio, TX | 12/17/2024 | $33,392 |
| Benchmark Senior Living | Cook | North Andover, MA | 12/17/2024 | $43,305 |
| Goodwin House | Cook (PRN) | Alexandria, VA | 12/17/2024 | $41,740 |
| Raising Canes Chicken | Cook | Michigan City, IN | 12/17/2024 | $31,305 |
| Raising Canes Chicken | Cook | Sacramento, CA | 12/17/2024 | $41,740 |
Cook salary FAQs
Search for cook jobs