Cooks, All Other Salary
Cooks, All Other earn a median $37,690 a year nationally. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
U.S. median
$37,690
$18.12 per hour
Range
$27,040 – $51,140
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
19,350
across the U.S.
▲4.1%
Pay trend: The median for cooks, all other in the U.S. rose from $36,210 (May 2024) to $37,690 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.7%.
What cooks, all other do
All cooks not listed separately.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.2% (faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 2,800
Employment of cooks, all other is projected to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 2,800 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, All Other take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$32,464
per year · effective tax rate 13.9%
$2,705Monthly
$1,353Twice a month
$1,249Every 2 weeks
$15.61Hourly
- Federal income tax$2,343
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,337
- Medicare (1.45%)$547
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$32,464
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,040 | $13.00 | $23,877 |
| 25th percentile | $32,150 | $15.46 | $28,013 |
| Median (50th) | $37,690 | $18.12 | $32,464 |
| 75th percentile | $43,680 | $21.00 | $37,277 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $51,140 | $24.59 | $43,271 |
Cooks, All Other salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $69,570 | +3.6% | $54,514 | $63,530 – $69,600 | — |
| Washington | $52,510 | −3.6% | $44,372 | $43,740 – $61,380 | 140 |
| Nevada | $51,220 | +3.3% | $43,335 | $37,230 – $58,920 | 320 |
| New Jersey | $46,080 | +3.6% | $38,207 | $34,700 – $60,610 | 280 |
| Indiana | $44,290 | +4.7% | $36,490 | $38,750 – $54,810 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $44,190 | +19.1% | $37,687 | $42,750 – $58,240 | 60 |
| Missouri | $43,990 | +26.0% | $36,396 | $33,190 – $59,650 | 70 |
| Colorado | $43,490 | −6.9% | $35,919 | $30,800 – $49,780 | 100 |
| New York | $43,000 | +1.9% | $35,006 | $36,430 – $57,760 | 1,090 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | +20.7% | $35,092 | $27,590 – $42,960 | 340 |
| California | $42,860 | +8.7% | $35,357 | $37,040 – $50,940 | 3,990 |
| Montana | $42,640 | +3.4% | $35,194 | $31,600 – $50,670 | 200 |
| Oregon | $42,020 | +3.7% | $33,096 | $34,850 – $46,510 | 450 |
| Arizona | $41,740 | +15.0% | $34,883 | $32,900 – $56,830 | 550 |
| Vermont | $41,250 | +2.9% | $34,376 | $36,890 – $61,580 | 160 |
| Hawaii | $39,870 | +5.3% | $32,654 | $34,430 – $49,940 | 100 |
| Florida | $39,520 | −1.1% | $33,934 | $28,510 – $51,680 | 710 |
| Connecticut | $37,190 | +6.0% | $31,314 | $34,010 – $53,220 | 220 |
| Michigan | $37,110 | +3.6% | $30,671 | $29,650 – $46,020 | 300 |
| Minnesota | $36,850 | −6.3% | $30,636 | $30,180 – $48,250 | 80 |
| Tennessee | $36,440 | +3.1% | $31,460 | $22,030 – $38,950 | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,220 | +3.4% | $30,171 | $27,210 – $50,850 | 660 |
| Illinois | $35,940 | −23.7% | $29,424 | $35,940 – $57,310 | — |
| Virginia | $35,810 | +5.5% | $29,708 | $26,630 – $64,300 | 480 |
| Ohio | $35,360 | −11.8% | $30,402 | $31,200 – $45,630 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $33,760 | +3.1% | $28,602 | $30,540 – $47,900 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $33,410 | — | $28,421 | $27,700 – $45,410 | — |
| Maryland | $32,150 | −3.4% | $26,849 | $31,200 – $46,950 | 610 |
| Texas | $32,150 | +3.6% | $28,013 | $25,600 – $41,570 | 4,650 |
| North Carolina | $31,120 | −2.2% | $26,452 | $21,250 – $43,690 | 150 |
| Arkansas | $30,780 | +11.9% | $25,924 | $27,050 – $55,450 | 90 |
| Louisiana | $28,930 | −2.4% | $24,944 | $23,950 – $39,880 | 430 |
| Iowa | $26,060 | −16.6% | $22,732 | $24,340 – $43,340 | 210 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | No formal educational credential | +2.8% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | No formal educational credential | +12.1% |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | No formal educational credential | -5.2% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | No formal educational credential | +0.6% |
| Cooks, Private Household | $47,940 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.1% |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | No formal educational credential | -3.0% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | No formal educational credential | +5.5% |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | No formal educational credential | +4.5% |
| Waiter and Waitress | $35,230 | No formal educational credential | +2.0% |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | No formal educational credential | -1.0% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, all other make?
The national median salary for cooks, all other is $37,690 a year ($18.12 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $27,040 and the top 10% earn over $51,140. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays cooks, all other the most?
Massachusetts has the highest median pay at $69,570.
How many cooks, all other are there in the U.S.?
About 19,350 people work as cooks, all other nationwide.