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Best states for a specialty cook
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for specialty cooks? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for specialty cook jobs.Our research shows that Nevada is the best state in the country for specialty cooks.
We figured that the best places for specialty cook jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as a specialty cook, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for specialty cooks in 2025
1. Nevada
Total specialty cook jobs: 403 Average annual salary: $42,416 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
2. Hawaii
Total specialty cook jobs: 107 Average annual salary: $48,040 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
3. Washington
Total specialty cook jobs: 785 Average annual salary: $42,775 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.63
4. Connecticut
Total specialty cook jobs: 431 Average annual salary: $40,902 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
5. Alaska
Total specialty cook jobs: 118 Average annual salary: $39,547 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
6. Idaho
Total specialty cook jobs: 248 Average annual salary: $37,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
7. Minnesota
Total specialty cook jobs: 1,049 Average annual salary: $37,379 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
8. Arizona
Total specialty cook jobs: 1,234 Average annual salary: $35,209 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
9. New York
Total specialty cook jobs: 1,646 Average annual salary: $40,555 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
10. North Dakota
Total specialty cook jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $35,981 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
Specialty cook jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a specialty cook
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a specialty cook
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $42,416 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 403 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $48,040 | $40,000 | 1,427,538 | 107 |
| 3 | Washington | $42,775 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 785 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $40,902 | $33,000 | 3,588,184 | 431 |
| 5 | Alaska | $39,547 | $34,000 | 739,795 | 118 |
| 6 | Idaho | $37,557 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 248 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $37,379 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,049 |
| 8 | Arizona | $35,209 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,234 |
| 9 | New York | $40,555 | $32,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,646 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $35,981 | $29,000 | 755,393 | 121 |
| 11 | Missouri | $33,758 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,301 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $39,152 | $32,000 | 6,859,819 | 948 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $37,754 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 165 |
| 14 | Oregon | $37,903 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 486 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $38,529 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 998 |
| 16 | Michigan | $33,516 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,253 |
| 17 | California | $38,977 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,132 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $32,653 | $26,000 | 1,815,857 | 263 |
| 19 | Colorado | $35,162 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,094 |
| 20 | Vermont | $36,912 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 58 |
| 21 | Maine | $35,488 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 156 |
| 22 | Illinois | $34,468 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,838 |
| 23 | Florida | $33,072 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,867 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $32,691 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,955 |
| 25 | Iowa | $32,552 | $26,000 | 3,145,711 | 597 |
| 26 | Utah | $33,190 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 505 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $31,254 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 867 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $33,463 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 106 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $32,335 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 799 |
| 30 | Delaware | $34,585 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 136 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $34,157 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 117 |
| 32 | Virginia | $34,314 | $27,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,331 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $32,259 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 85 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $31,668 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 375 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $29,935 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 664 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $37,779 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 80 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $30,554 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 824 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $29,365 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,448 |
| 39 | Texas | $30,693 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,930 |
| 40 | Ohio | $30,538 | $24,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,770 |
| 41 | Montana | $31,778 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 192 |
| 42 | Maryland | $33,590 | $27,000 | 6,052,177 | 888 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $31,010 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,784 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $31,613 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 296 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $29,541 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 807 |
| 46 | Kansas | $29,445 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 605 |
| 47 | Indiana | $28,857 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,347 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $29,135 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 842 |
| 49 | Georgia | $30,067 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,601 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,682 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 543 |
| 51 | Alabama | $27,843 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 677 |
Highest paying states for specialty cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Specialty Cook Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $42,416 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $48,040 |
| 3 | Washington | $42,775 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $40,902 |
| 5 | Alaska | $39,547 |
| 6 | Idaho | $37,557 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $37,379 |
| 8 | Arizona | $35,209 |
| 9 | New York | $40,555 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $35,981 |
| 11 | Missouri | $33,758 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $39,152 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $37,754 |
| 14 | Oregon | $37,903 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $38,529 |
| 16 | Michigan | $33,516 |
| 17 | California | $38,977 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $32,653 |
| 19 | Colorado | $35,162 |
| 20 | Vermont | $36,912 |
| 21 | Maine | $35,488 |
| 22 | Illinois | $34,468 |
| 23 | Florida | $33,072 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $32,691 |
| 25 | Iowa | $32,552 |
| 26 | Utah | $33,190 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $31,254 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $33,463 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $32,335 |
| 30 | Delaware | $34,585 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $34,157 |
| 32 | Virginia | $34,314 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $32,259 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $31,668 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $29,935 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $37,779 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $30,554 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $29,365 |
| 39 | Texas | $30,693 |
| 40 | Ohio | $30,538 |
| 41 | Montana | $31,778 |
| 42 | Maryland | $33,590 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $31,010 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $31,613 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $29,541 |
| 46 | Kansas | $29,445 |
| 47 | Indiana | $28,857 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $29,135 |
| 49 | Georgia | $30,067 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,682 |
| 51 | Alabama | $27,843 |
Specialty cook best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025