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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria: Pay by State
Nationally, 441,050 people work as cooks, institution and cafeteria, earning a median of $37,450 a year ($18/hour) — with most between $28,480 and $49,670.
| State | Workers | Median pay | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 9,780 | $49,670 | $24 |
| Alaska | 1,430 | $48,580 | $23 |
| Massachusetts | 7,430 | $47,790 | $23 |
| Hawaii | 1,570 | $47,770 | $23 |
| Rhode Island | 1,190 | $46,570 | $22 |
| California | 31,660 | $46,390 | $22 |
| Vermont | 1,330 | $46,370 | $22 |
| Connecticut | 4,500 | $46,120 | $22 |
| New York | 17,670 | $45,880 | $22 |
| District of Columbia | 1,500 | $45,450 | $22 |
| New Hampshire | 1,720 | $45,370 | $22 |
| New Jersey | 7,490 | $44,520 | $21 |
| Oregon | 7,150 | $44,520 | $21 |
| Delaware | 2,680 | $44,080 | $21 |
| Maine | 1,790 | $43,490 | $21 |
| Minnesota | 7,890 | $43,460 | $21 |
| Colorado | 9,440 | $42,500 | $20 |
| Maryland | 3,370 | $41,380 | $20 |
| Arizona | 7,170 | $39,660 | $19 |
| North Dakota | 1,820 | $39,490 | $19 |
| Nevada | 1,650 | $39,430 | $19 |
| Wisconsin | 9,890 | $38,650 | $19 |
| Utah | 5,610 | $38,200 | $18 |
| Virginia | 11,170 | $37,890 | $18 |
| Illinois | 22,840 | $37,440 | $18 |
| Montana | 2,290 | $37,150 | $18 |
| Wyoming | 1,570 | $36,940 | $18 |
| Michigan | 13,500 | $36,870 | $18 |
| South Dakota | 2,120 | $36,730 | $18 |
| Ohio | 23,440 | $36,720 | $18 |
| Pennsylvania | 24,490 | $36,540 | $18 |
| New Mexico | 3,160 | $36,470 | $18 |
| Nebraska | 4,410 | $36,390 | $18 |
| Florida | 25,100 | $36,250 | $17 |
| North Carolina | 11,170 | $36,140 | $17 |
| Indiana | 11,130 | $35,980 | $17 |
| Iowa | 8,860 | $35,810 | $17 |
| Idaho | 3,650 | $35,600 | $17 |
| Tennessee | 10,680 | $35,570 | $17 |
| Texas | 24,740 | $35,360 | $17 |
| Georgia | 8,220 | $35,090 | $17 |
| South Carolina | 7,850 | $34,960 | $17 |
| Missouri | 13,130 | $34,900 | $17 |
| Kansas | 7,570 | $31,950 | $15 |
| Kentucky | 11,540 | $31,550 | $15 |
| Arkansas | 6,530 | $30,240 | $15 |
| West Virginia | 4,420 | $29,740 | $14 |
| Oklahoma | 10,790 | $29,270 | $14 |
| Mississippi | 6,420 | $27,390 | $13 |
| Alabama | 8,780 | $27,120 | $13 |
| Louisiana | 5,740 | $25,490 | $12 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, most recent annual estimate. States are ordered by median pay. Cost of living differs between states — a higher number is not automatically a better deal. Some states are omitted where the estimate is suppressed. Labour-market data, not job listings.