Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Birmingham, AL
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $27,220 a year — 27% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $22,930 take-home, or $1,911 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,112
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,688
- Medicare (1.45%)$395
- Alabama income tax$1,096
- Take-home pay$22,930
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Birmingham? City residents also pay Birmingham’s Occupational Tax — about $272 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $22,657 ($1,888 a month). Choose “Birmingham” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay by experience in Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $20,660 | $9.93 | $17,856 | $1,488 |
| 25th percentile | $20,810 | $10.00 | $17,972 | $1,498 |
| Median (50th) | $27,220 | $13.09 | $22,930 | $1,911 |
| 75th percentile | $35,490 | $17.06 | $29,187 | $2,432 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,600 | $19.04 | $32,284 | $2,690 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $27,220 buys in Birmingham, AL
Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, institution and cafeteria's $22,930 take-home pay has the buying power of $25,020 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Birmingham, AL has 1.7× the national concentration of cooks, institution and cafeteria jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, institution and cafeteria, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #37 of 37 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $51,530 | $43,584 | $39,218 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $51,880 | $42,029 | $38,062 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $48,530 | $38,967 | $35,992 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $45,070 | $37,119 | $35,090 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $44,830 | $36,621 | $34,936 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $49,140 | $40,027 | $34,622 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $47,100 | $38,537 | $34,443 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $44,470 | $36,565 | $34,352 |
| 37 | Birmingham, AL | $27,220 | $22,930 | $25,020 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 37 metros →
About the job: cooks, institution and cafeteria
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.8% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Birmingham, AL?
The median cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $27,220 a year, or about $13.09 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $20,810 and $35,490.
What is a cooks, institution and cafeteria’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $27,220 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $22,930 a year ($1,911 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,096 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a cooks, institution and cafeteria?
Pay here is 27% below the national median of $37,450. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $25,020 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #37 of 37 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, institution and cafeteria afford rent in Birmingham, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Birmingham, AL is $1,115 a month ($1,234 for two bedrooms) — 58% of a median cooks, institution and cafeteria’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Birmingham, AL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Cooks, Restaurant — $34,340
- Food Preparation Worker — $29,260
- Cooks, Fast Food — $28,320
- Waiter and Waitress — $27,670
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,020