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Specialty foods cook salary
Average specialty foods cook salary
$15.14
Average Specialty Foods Cook Salary
The average salary for a specialty foods cook is approximately $31,497 per year, or $15 per hour. This figure can vary based on location, experience, and specific culinary skills. In states like California and New York, specialty foods cooks often see higher pay rates due to the cost of living and demand for skilled culinary professionals.
How Experience Affects Salary
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start at around $12 per hour, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $20 per hour. Continuing education and specialized training can further enhance earning potential.
Top Paying Cities
Cities like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle offer some of the highest salaries for specialty foods cooks, often exceeding the national average. Exploring job opportunities in these areas could lead to better pay and career advancement.
Conclusion
For those passionate about cooking, pursuing a career as a specialty foods cook can be rewarding both creatively and financially. Understanding salary trends and opportunities can assist in making informed career choices.
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Where can a Specialty Foods Cook earn more?
Specialty foods cook salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level specialty foods cook | $23,600 | $11.35 |
| Mid-level specialty foods cook | $28,500 | $13.71 |
| Senior-level specialty foods cook | $33,900 | $16.29 |
Average specialty foods cook salary by state
The average specialty foods cook salary in Massachusetts, Washington, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average specialty foods cook salary states are Kentucky, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for specialty foods cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $37,564 | $18.06 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $42,815 | $20.58 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $35,290 | $16.97 |
| 4 | Alaska | $37,148 | $17.86 |
| 5 | Washington | $41,421 | $19.91 |
| 6 | Idaho | $34,432 | $16.55 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $36,044 | $17.33 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $32,714 | $15.73 |
| 9 | Colorado | $33,942 | $16.32 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $34,352 | $16.52 |
| 11 | Oregon | $35,104 | $16.88 |
| 12 | Missouri | $31,341 | $15.07 |
| 13 | New York | $35,363 | $17.00 |
| 14 | Vermont | $35,168 | $16.91 |
| 15 | Arizona | $31,191 | $15.00 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $37,141 | $17.86 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $34,379 | $16.53 |
| 18 | Maine | $33,686 | $16.20 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $32,576 | $15.66 |
| 20 | Michigan | $30,752 | $14.78 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $34,223 | $16.45 |
| 22 | Illinois | $31,524 | $15.16 |
| 23 | Ohio | $29,068 | $13.97 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $35,609 | $17.12 |
| 25 | Georgia | $30,634 | $14.73 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $32,374 | $15.56 |
| 27 | Utah | $30,227 | $14.53 |
| 28 | California | $33,129 | $15.93 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $29,637 | $14.25 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $30,663 | $14.74 |
| 31 | Montana | $29,448 | $14.16 |
| 32 | Florida | $28,000 | $13.46 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $26,588 | $12.78 |
| 34 | Delaware | $31,075 | $14.94 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $28,289 | $13.60 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $27,408 | $13.18 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $25,947 | $12.47 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $25,122 | $12.08 |
| 39 | Indiana | $25,684 | $12.35 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $28,329 | $13.62 |
| 41 | Texas | $25,927 | $12.46 |
| 42 | Maryland | $29,995 | $14.42 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $25,553 | $12.29 |
| 44 | Kansas | $25,915 | $12.46 |
| 45 | Iowa | $27,126 | $13.04 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $25,947 | $12.47 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $25,141 | $12.09 |
| 48 | Virginia | $28,900 | $13.89 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $22,557 | $10.84 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $23,641 | $11.37 |
| 51 | Alabama | $24,173 | $11.62 |
Highest paying cities for specialty foods cooks
The highest-paying cities for specialty foods cooks are Boston, MA, Seattle, WA, and Syracuse, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $42,867 | $20.61 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $41,604 | $20.00 |
| 3 | Syracuse, NY | $36,317 | $17.46 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $35,631 | $17.13 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $35,251 | $16.95 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $35,101 | $16.88 |
| 7 | Nashua, NH | $34,154 | $16.42 |
| 8 | Loveland, CO | $34,058 | $16.37 |
| 9 | San Jose, CA | $33,856 | $16.28 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $33,708 | $16.21 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $32,721 | $15.73 |
| 12 | Des Plaines, IL | $31,707 | $15.24 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $30,817 | $14.82 |
| 14 | Southfield, MI | $30,782 | $14.80 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $30,164 | $14.50 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $28,549 | $13.73 |
| 17 | Kearney, NE | $28,427 | $13.67 |
| 18 | Orlando, FL | $28,141 | $13.53 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $26,635 | $12.81 |
| 20 | Olathe, KS | $25,800 | $12.40 |
Specialty foods cook salary details
A specialty foods cook's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a specialty foods cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $31,497 | $2,625 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying specialty foods cook jobs
The highest paying types of specialty foods cooks are lead cook, line cook/dishwasher, and assistant cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook/Dishwasher | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 133,000 |
| Cook/Server | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14.29 | 257,582 |
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $31,687 | $2,641 | $15.23 | 126,351 |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | $34,435 | $2,870 | $16.56 | 133,370 |
| Cook | $31,803 | $2,650 | $15.29 | 184,818 |
Which companies pay specialty foods cooks the most?
Specialty foods cook salaries at Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average specialty foods cook salary at companies like Emanate Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $40,098 | $19.28 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $39,188 | $18.84 |
| 3 | Emanate Health | $35,605 | $17.12 |
| 4 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $35,467 | $17.05 |
| 5 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $35,007 | $16.83 |
| 6 | Boston Medical Center | $34,927 | $16.79 |
| 7 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $34,845 | $16.75 |
| 8 | Sutter Health | $34,729 | $16.70 |
| 9 | Nebraska Methodist Health System | $34,502 | $16.59 |
| 10 | Lunds & Byerlys | $34,440 | $16.56 |
| 11 | East Tennessee Children's Hospital | $34,347 | $16.51 |
| 12 | Eskenazi Health | $34,101 | $16.39 |
| 13 | Sesame | $34,071 | $16.38 |
| 14 | BayCare Health System | $34,068 | $16.38 |
| 15 | Hospice of The Valley | $34,033 | $16.36 |
| 16 | PeaceHealth | $33,982 | $16.34 |
| 17 | Great Wolf Resorts | $33,952 | $16.32 |
| 18 | TPI | $33,860 | $16.28 |
| 19 | Hawaii Pacific Health | $33,778 | $16.24 |
| 20 | Bristol Farms | $33,513 | $16.11 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Specialty foods cook salary trends
The average specialty foods cook salary has risen by $7,349 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average specialty foods cook earned $24,148 annually, but today, they earn $31,497 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for specialty foods cooks over the last decade.
Compare specialty foods cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average specialty foods cook salary over time
Compare specialty foods cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Specialty foods cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,500 | $15.14 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $30,400 | $14.61 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $29,000 | $13.95 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $27,500 | $13.24 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $26,400 | $12.69 | +4.3% |
Recently added specialty foods cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Health | Food Service Cook | Silver Spring, MD | 06/30/2025 | $36,689 |
| Lad Lake Inc. | Food Service Cook | Dousman, WI | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. | Food Outlet Cook | Williamsburg, VA | 06/28/2025 | $34,436 |
| Aramark Corp | Cook-Deanwood Rehabilitation & Well-Food | Washington, DC | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Whole Foods | Prepared Foods Cook/Food Production | Metairie, LA | 06/27/2025 | $32,349 |
| Whole Foods | Prepared Foods Cook/Food Production | Cincinnati, OH | 06/27/2025 | $34,436 |
| Three Rivers Casino | Food & Beverage-Food Court Outlet Cook | Florence, OR | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| University of Maryland Medical Center Baltimore Washington | Food Production Cook | Easton, MD | 06/27/2025 | $42,575 |
| Delano Public School District | Food Service Cook | Delano, MN | 06/27/2025 | $37,983 |
| Aramark Corp | Cook-Serenity Rehab and Health-Food | Washington, DC | 06/26/2025 | $36,523 |
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