Cooks, All Other Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cooks, all other in the U.S. is $37,690 ($18.12 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $37,690
- Mean annual wage
- $39,150
- Median hourly wage
- $18.12
- Employment
- 19,350
19,350 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,040 | $13.00 |
| 25th percentile | $32,150 | $15.46 |
| Median (50th) | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| 75th percentile | $43,680 | $21.00 |
| 90th percentile | $51,140 | $24.59 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, all other
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $69,570 | — |
| Washington | $52,510 | 140 |
| Nevada | $51,220 | 320 |
| New Jersey | $46,080 | 280 |
| Indiana | $44,290 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $44,190 | 60 |
| Missouri | $43,990 | 70 |
| Colorado | $43,490 | 100 |
| New York | $43,000 | 1,090 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | 340 |
Lowest-paying states
- Iowa: $26,060 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $28,930 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $30,780 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $31,120 median annual wage
- Texas: $32,150 median annual wage
About this occupation
All cooks not listed separately.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 27.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 42.4% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.5% |
| Associate's degree | 6.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.8% |
| Master's degree | 0.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.