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Institutional cook salary
Average institutional cook salary
$14.62
Average Institutional Cook Salary
The average salary for an Institutional Cook is currently $30,403 annually, translating to approximately $15 per hour. This role typically involves preparing meals for large groups in settings such as schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors affect an Institutional Cook's earnings, including geographical location, experience level, and specific institutional requirements. For instance, cooks in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher living costs and demand for skilled labor.
Average Salary by State
- California: $34,500
- New York: $32,800
- Texas: $28,500
As shown, states like California and New York offer higher salaries, reflecting the competitive job market. Experience significantly impacts salary; cooks with several years of experience can command higher wages and may have opportunities for advancement into supervisory roles.
Highest Paying Cities
Cooks in cities such as San Francisco and New York City report the highest earnings, with average salaries exceeding $35,000. Additionally, exploring job openings in these areas can provide insights into potential career growth.
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Where can an Institutional Cook earn more?
Institutional cook salaries by experience level
Average institutional cook salary by state
The highest-paying states for institutional cooks are California, Utah, and North Dakota. The lowest average institutional cook salary states are Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for institutional cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $37,663 | $18.11 |
| 2 | Utah | $41,700 | $20.05 |
| 3 | Idaho | $37,040 | $17.81 |
| 4 | California | $44,466 | $21.38 |
| 5 | Alaska | $37,788 | $18.17 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $38,200 | $18.37 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $37,979 | $18.26 |
| 8 | Nevada | $34,779 | $16.72 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $31,429 | $15.11 |
| 10 | Washington | $37,677 | $18.11 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $29,770 | $14.31 |
| 12 | Maine | $34,804 | $16.73 |
| 13 | Maryland | $35,857 | $17.24 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $36,245 | $17.43 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $29,149 | $14.01 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $31,364 | $15.08 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $29,563 | $14.21 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $37,358 | $17.96 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $34,938 | $16.80 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $29,128 | $14.00 |
| 21 | Michigan | $30,464 | $14.65 |
| 22 | Montana | $30,130 | $14.49 |
| 23 | Oregon | $33,190 | $15.96 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $30,622 | $14.72 |
| 25 | New York | $33,098 | $15.91 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $31,930 | $15.35 |
| 27 | Colorado | $30,591 | $14.71 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $29,790 | $14.32 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $31,857 | $15.32 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $31,715 | $15.25 |
| 31 | Alabama | $29,701 | $14.28 |
| 32 | Delaware | $31,298 | $15.05 |
| 33 | Virginia | $30,402 | $14.62 |
| 34 | Arizona | $29,179 | $14.03 |
| 35 | Indiana | $28,077 | $13.50 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $29,181 | $14.03 |
| 37 | Ohio | $28,298 | $13.60 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $28,559 | $13.73 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $26,886 | $12.93 |
| 40 | Iowa | $27,109 | $13.03 |
| 41 | Vermont | $29,940 | $14.39 |
| 42 | Georgia | $28,910 | $13.90 |
| 43 | Texas | $25,924 | $12.46 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $27,290 | $13.12 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $24,622 | $11.84 |
| 46 | District of Columbia | $30,819 | $14.82 |
| 47 | Missouri | $25,881 | $12.44 |
| 48 | Kansas | $25,495 | $12.26 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $23,913 | $11.50 |
| 50 | Florida | $24,680 | $11.87 |
| 51 | Illinois | $25,875 | $12.44 |
Highest paying cities for institutional cooks
The highest-paying cities for institutional cooks are Santa Barbara, CA, Anchorage, AK, and Urban Honolulu, HI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Barbara, CA | $44,663 | $21.47 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $37,966 | $18.25 |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $37,370 | $17.97 |
| 4 | Utica, NY | $33,002 | $15.87 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $31,502 | $15.15 |
Institutional cook salary details
An institutional cook's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an institutional cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $30,403 | $2,534 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying institutional cook jobs
The highest paying types of institutional cooks are head cook, cook chill technician, and mess cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook/Dietary Aide | $27,490 | $2,291 | $13.22 | 163,273 |
| Cook | $31,803 | $2,650 | $15.29 | 184,818 |
| Head Cook | $44,412 | $3,701 | $21.35 | 156,227 |
| Dietary Cook | $27,365 | $2,280 | $13.16 | 191,406 |
Top companies hiring institutional cooks now:
Which companies pay institutional cooks the most?
Institutional cook salaries at Compass Group USA and Orange County are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average institutional cook salary at companies like Iowa Department of Transportation and NANA are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compass Group USA | $33,199 | $15.96 |
| 2 | Orange County | $32,491 | $15.62 |
| 3 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $31,987 | $15.38 |
| 4 | NANA | $31,082 | $14.94 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $31,047 | $14.93 |
| 6 | Sodexo Management, Inc. | $31,022 | $14.91 |
| 7 | Nana Management Services, LLC | $30,495 | $14.66 |
| 8 | Aramark | $30,019 | $14.43 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Institutional cook salary trends
The average institutional cook salary has risen by $6,303 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average institutional cook earned $24,100 annually, but today, they earn $30,403 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for institutional cooks over the last decade.
Compare institutional cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average institutional cook salary over time
Compare institutional cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Institutional cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,400 | $14.62 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $29,400 | $14.16 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $28,500 | $13.70 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $27,400 | $13.19 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $26,300 | $12.63 | +3.2% |
Recently added institutional cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows | Institutional Cook | Reno, NV | 06/07/2025 | $31,305 |
| Manpowergroup | Institutional Cook | Mount Vernon, IL | 06/03/2025 | $31,305 |
| State of Wisconsin | Cook-Mendota Mental Health Institute | Madison, WI | 05/11/2025 | $41,636 |
| Aramark | Cook-Environmental Systems Research Institute Cafe | Redlands, CA | 05/03/2025 | $41,740 |
| Manpowergroup | Institutional Cook | Mount Vernon, IL | 04/24/2025 | $31,305 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows | Institutional Cook | Reno, NV | 02/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Aramark | Cook-Suny Polytechnic Institute | Utica, NY | 02/18/2025 | $34,957 |
| Nana Management Services, LLC | Cook, Alaska Psychiatric Institute | Nome, AK | 12/04/2024 | $41,740 |
| Iowa Department of Administrative Services | Institutional Cook-Temporary | Eldora, IA | 10/31/2024 | $31,242 |
| Aramark | Cook-Environmental Systems Research Institute Cafe | Redlands, CA | 10/25/2024 | $41,740 |
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