Cooks, Short Order Salary
Cooks, Short Order earn a median $35,880 a year nationally. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
U.S. median
$35,880
$17.25 per hour
Range
$23,440 – $46,460
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
138,650
across the U.S.
▲0.7%
Pay trend: The median for cooks, short order in the U.S. rose from $35,620 (May 2024) to $35,880 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 1.7%.
What cooks, short order do
Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -5.2% (declining)
- Openings per year
- 17,400
Employment of cooks, short order is projected to shrink 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 17,400 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, Short Order take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$31,010
per year · effective tax rate 13.6%
$2,584Monthly
$1,292Twice a month
$1,193Every 2 weeks
$14.91Hourly
- Federal income tax$2,126
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,225
- Medicare (1.45%)$520
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$31,010
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,440 | $11.27 | $20,913 |
| 25th percentile | $30,610 | $14.72 | $26,775 |
| Median (50th) | $35,880 | $17.25 | $31,010 |
| 75th percentile | $42,450 | $20.41 | $36,289 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,460 | $22.34 | $39,511 |
Best cities for cooks, short order (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $45,790 | $37,556 | $32,484 | 4,430 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $43,680 | $35,973 | $31,675 | 12,410 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $39,650 | $32,826 | $30,147 | 3,850 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $39,600 | $32,239 | $29,777 | 4,460 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $35,360 | $29,279 | $26,011 | 9,990 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $45,790
- Los Angeles, CA — $43,680
- Washington, DC — $39,650
- Boston, MA — $39,600
- New York, NY — $35,360
Cooks, Short Order salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 | +0.8% | $38,690 | $31,790 – $50,180 | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 | +34.4% | $38,224 | $31,940 – $47,920 | — |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 | −1.1% | $35,773 | $32,550 – $53,780 | 4,760 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 | +4.9% | $35,031 | $36,840 – $61,640 | 460 |
| California | $42,930 | +10.0% | $35,410 | $35,880 – $47,150 | 30,740 |
| Washington | $42,760 | −7.1% | $36,538 | $34,650 – $55,660 | 1,700 |
| Colorado | $42,450 | −3.7% | $35,129 | $32,030 – $64,840 | 1,900 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 | +14.8% | $35,303 | $34,610 – $46,040 | — |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 | +10.7% | $34,908 | $39,650 – $47,060 | 1,910 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 | +15.7% | $34,191 | $33,540 – $51,440 | 850 |
| Idaho | $40,090 | +28.2% | $33,376 | $23,130 – $61,190 | 120 |
| Vermont | $38,830 | −0.8% | $32,513 | $34,990 – $47,760 | 670 |
| Oregon | $38,550 | +8.2% | $30,611 | $30,090 – $54,870 | 1,780 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | +20.5% | $31,655 | $33,040 – $42,810 | — |
| Missouri | $38,490 | +9.0% | $32,235 | $29,810 – $46,440 | — |
| Utah | $38,010 | +3.6% | $31,977 | $21,820 – $49,410 | 320 |
| Alaska | $37,780 | −5.4% | $32,536 | $34,830 – $47,600 | 330 |
| Nevada | $37,780 | −3.1% | $32,536 | $27,040 – $41,530 | 790 |
| Illinois | $37,440 | +2.0% | $30,555 | $31,200 – $45,950 | 2,630 |
| New Mexico | $37,150 | −2.6% | $31,400 | $29,240 – $45,010 | 750 |
| Maryland | $36,800 | +4.3% | $30,364 | $31,840 – $44,540 | 3,250 |
| New York | $35,550 | −3.5% | $29,422 | $32,240 – $46,550 | 18,300 |
| Maine | $35,360 | +3.8% | $29,333 | $32,150 – $41,600 | 1,120 |
| Oklahoma | $35,130 | +13.2% | $29,372 | $25,290 – $36,270 | 760 |
| Michigan | $34,510 | +12.5% | $28,693 | $26,750 – $43,180 | 2,560 |
| Florida | $34,240 | −0.2% | $29,692 | $31,450 – $37,260 | 5,050 |
| Iowa | $34,090 | +8.2% | $28,928 | $24,960 – $46,650 | 1,160 |
| Montana | $33,240 | +5.6% | $28,083 | $29,890 – $36,310 | — |
| South Dakota | $32,380 | +3.9% | $28,197 | $27,950 – $46,440 | 2,000 |
| New Hampshire | $32,330 | +11.5% | $28,157 | $24,140 – $49,020 | 2,320 |
| Minnesota | $32,150 | +9.9% | $27,111 | $23,150 – $44,460 | 870 |
| Kentucky | $31,840 | +9.3% | $26,767 | $22,860 – $44,880 | 650 |
| North Carolina | $31,290 | +2.5% | $26,582 | $23,350 – $38,210 | 3,170 |
| Virginia | $31,200 | +3.1% | $26,269 | $25,810 – $42,520 | 3,350 |
| Nebraska | $30,530 | −2.1% | $26,169 | $28,080 – $41,430 | 1,810 |
| Arkansas | $30,510 | +3.7% | $25,718 | $26,000 – $37,140 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $30,210 | +4.2% | $26,454 | $22,880 – $39,240 | 2,510 |
| South Carolina | $29,640 | +1.6% | $25,374 | $22,670 – $34,480 | 900 |
| Ohio | $29,290 | +3.1% | $25,691 | $22,260 – $38,620 | 6,000 |
| Mississippi | $28,180 | +9.6% | $24,421 | $19,200 – $35,250 | 1,890 |
| Wisconsin | $28,130 | +3.0% | $24,304 | $22,550 – $39,080 | 2,270 |
| West Virginia | $27,440 | −0.1% | $23,526 | $20,120 – $36,210 | 620 |
| Kansas | $27,400 | +2.3% | $23,413 | $24,110 – $36,570 | 640 |
| Georgia | $26,870 | +21.3% | $22,966 | $21,430 – $41,010 | 3,870 |
| Louisiana | $26,260 | −2.9% | $22,834 | $19,690 – $40,530 | 1,990 |
| Texas | $25,320 | −12.0% | $22,461 | $21,850 – $36,320 | 7,540 |
| Alabama | $22,330 | −11.9% | $19,147 | $20,500 – $31,220 | — |
| Indiana | $21,940 | −28.5% | $19,060 | $20,760 – $36,260 | 2,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $19,910 | +8.2% | $17,395 | $17,150 – $40,460 | 3,510 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | No formal educational credential | +12.1% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | No formal educational credential | +2.8% |
| Cooks, All Other | $37,690 | 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, short order make?
The national median salary for cooks, short order is $35,880 a year ($17.25 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $23,440 and the top 10% earn over $46,460. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays cooks, short order the most?
Arizona has the highest median pay at $46,630. After taxes and local prices, San Francisco, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many cooks, short order are there in the U.S.?
About 138,650 people work as cooks, short order nationwide.