Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in St. Louis, MO
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $36,200 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,503 take-home, or $2,542 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,164
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,244
- Medicare (1.45%)$525
- Missouri income tax$764
- Take-home pay$30,503
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $362 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $30,141 ($2,512 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,690 | $14.27 | $25,578 | $2,131 |
| 25th percentile | $31,780 | $15.28 | $27,159 | $2,263 |
| Median (50th) | $36,200 | $17.40 | $30,503 | $2,542 |
| 75th percentile | $39,210 | $18.85 | $32,780 | $2,732 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,020 | $21.64 | $37,175 | $3,098 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,200 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, institution and cafeteria's $30,503 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,078 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
St. Louis, MO has 1.4× 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
St. Louis, MO ranks #23 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 |
| 23 | St. Louis, MO | $36,200 | $30,503 | $32,078 |
*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.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $36,080
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, institution and cafeteria make in St. Louis, MO?
The median cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $36,200 a year, or about $17.40 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,780 and $39,210.
What is a cooks, institution and cafeteria’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $36,200 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $30,503 a year ($2,542 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $764 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a cooks, institution and cafeteria?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,450. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,078 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #23 of 37 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, institution and cafeteria afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median cooks, institution and cafeteria’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,520
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,690
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $34,340
- Food Preparation Worker — $32,400
- Dishwasher — $32,180
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $31,930
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,260
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200
- Bartender — $31,200
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $31,200
- Cooks, Fast Food — $30,860