SOC 35-2019 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Cooks, All Other wages by metro

National median annual wage

$37,690

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

National employment in May 2025: 19,350.

That median is 26.1% lower than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.

The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.

Highest published medians

Metros with the highest published annual medians for Cooks, All Other.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	80	$38,950	$57,320	$70,810
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	80	$52,460	$53,910	$53,950
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	290	$37,240	$51,220	$58,920
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	40	$38,740	$49,780	$49,780
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	180	$40,160	$47,840	$53,170
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	400	$37,500	$46,960	$61,110
Syracuse, NY	30	$38,870	$45,970	$68,990
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	Not available	$43,470	$44,740	$59,210
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	300	$36,550	$44,340	$48,030
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	50	$37,280	$43,680	$45,220
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	Not available	$27,590	$42,960	$42,960
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	300	$28,640	$42,890	$59,680
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	1,120	$42,860	$42,860	$57,630
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	830	$36,430	$42,630	$58,870
Jacksonville, FL	40	$27,730	$41,820	$55,170
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	80	$28,000	$40,270	$46,540
Midland, TX	100	$27,230	$40,040	$47,530
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	100	$31,990	$39,960	$52,950
Urban Honolulu, HI	70	$34,430	$39,870	$45,760
New Haven, CT	50	$36,080	$39,670	$53,220

Metros with the most Cooks, All Other jobs in the May 2025 tables.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	1,810	$28,120	$35,500	$40,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	1,120	$42,860	$42,860	$57,630
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1,040	$36,890	$38,850	$50,680
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	860	$27,040	$27,900	$43,170
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	830	$36,430	$42,630	$58,870
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	700	$22,030	$33,220	$41,600
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	420	$28,520	$35,070	$46,500
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	400	$37,500	$46,960	$61,110
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	380	$30,340	$31,880	$66,200
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	300	$28,640	$42,890	$59,680
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	300	$36,550	$44,340	$48,030
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	290	$37,240	$51,220	$58,920
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	290	$26,240	$33,000	$39,260
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	290	$37,380	$38,870	$51,090
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	280	$31,200	$38,850	$55,460
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	190	$37,870	$38,980	$44,200
Knoxville, TN	180	$20,890	$35,120	$38,600
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	180	$40,160	$47,840	$53,170
El Paso, TX	140	$23,570	$27,460	$34,330
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	120	$23,950	$30,840	$42,860

State estimates for Cooks, All Other, May 2025.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Massachusetts	Not available	$63,530	$69,570	$69,600
Washington	140	$43,740	$52,510	$61,380
Nevada	320	$37,230	$51,220	$58,920
New Jersey	280	$34,700	$46,080	$60,610
Indiana	30	$38,750	$44,290	$54,810
North Dakota	60	$42,750	$44,190	$58,240
Missouri	70	$33,190	$43,990	$59,650
Colorado	100	$30,800	$43,490	$49,780
New York	1,090	$36,430	$43,000	$57,760
Georgia	340	$27,590	$42,960	$42,960
California	3,990	$37,040	$42,860	$50,940
Montana	200	$31,600	$42,640	$50,670
Oregon	450	$34,850	$42,020	$46,510
Arizona	550	$32,900	$41,740	$56,830
Vermont	160	$36,890	$41,250	$61,580
Hawaii	100	$34,430	$39,870	$49,940
Florida	710	$28,510	$39,520	$51,680
Connecticut	220	$34,010	$37,190	$53,220
Michigan	300	$29,650	$37,110	$46,020
Minnesota	80	$30,180	$36,850	$48,250
Tennessee	2,060	$22,030	$36,440	$38,950
Pennsylvania	660	$27,210	$36,220	$50,850
Illinois	Not available	$35,940	$35,940	$57,310
Virginia	480	$26,630	$35,810	$64,300
Ohio	180	$31,200	$35,360	$45,630
Wisconsin	50	$30,540	$33,760	$47,900
Mississippi	Not available	$27,700	$33,410	$45,410
Maryland	610	$31,200	$32,150	$46,950
Texas	4,650	$25,600	$32,150	$41,570
North Carolina	150	$21,250	$31,120	$43,690
Arkansas	90	$27,050	$30,780	$55,450
Louisiana	430	$23,950	$28,930	$39,880
Iowa	210	$24,340	$26,060	$43,340

What is the national median wage for Cooks, All Other?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Cooks, All Other is $37,690. Employment is 19,350.

How does Cooks, All Other pay compare with all occupations?

The national median for Cooks, All Other is 26.1% lower than the all-occupations median of $50,980.

Which metro has the highest published median for Cooks, All Other?

Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Burlington-South Burlington, VT is highest on this page's list at $57,320.