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Job outlook for specialty cooks in the United States
Are specialty cook jobs in demand?
Yes, specialty cook jobs are in demand. Specialty cook demand is projected to grow 16% from 2018 to 2028.
Specialty cook job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of specialty cook jobs and the average specialty cook salary over time.
Specialty cook jobs over time
Specialty cook job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 315 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 293 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 370 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 354 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 337 | 0.00% |
Average specialty cook salary over time
Specialty cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,829 | $16.26 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $32,643 | $15.69 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $31,163 | $14.98 | +5.4% |
| 2022 | $29,577 | $14.22 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | $28,356 | $13.63 | +4.5% |
Specialty cook jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of specialty cook job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where specialty cooks earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for specialty cooks
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,448 | 22% |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 867 | 22% |
| 3 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 664 | 22% |
| 4 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,301 | 21% |
| 5 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 605 | 21% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,347 | 20% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,094 | 20% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,049 | 19% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 597 | 19% |
| 10 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 3,867 | 18% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,234 | 18% |
| 12 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 824 | 18% |
| 13 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 807 | 18% |
| 14 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 543 | 18% |
| 15 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 375 | 18% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 192 | 18% |
| 17 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 4,930 | 17% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,784 | 17% |
| 19 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 842 | 17% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 118 | 16% |
Most common cities for specialty cooks
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Chicago | 1 | 4% | $29,222 |
| 2 | Maryland Heights | 1 | 4% | $33,682 |
| 3 | Elk Grove | 4 | 2% | $39,275 |
| 4 | Olympia | 1 | 2% | $43,015 |
| 5 | Orlando | 2 | 1% | $33,077 |
| 6 | Davenport | 1 | 1% | $32,520 |
| 7 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $33,068 |
| 8 | Las Vegas | 3 | 0% | $42,271 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $38,857 |
| 10 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $33,117 |
| 11 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $37,739 |