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Cooks, Restaurant: Pay by State
Nationally, 1,409,890 people work as cooks, restaurant, earning a median of $37,390 a year ($18/hour) — with most between $28,700 and $47,900.
| State | Workers | Median pay | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 35,140 | $46,800 | $23 |
| District of Columbia | 7,720 | $46,130 | $22 |
| Massachusetts | 29,570 | $45,600 | $22 |
| Hawaii | 11,090 | $45,420 | $22 |
| Vermont | 2,360 | $45,390 | $22 |
| Maine | 5,130 | $45,290 | $22 |
| California | 152,250 | $44,880 | $22 |
| New York | 71,530 | $43,680 | $21 |
| Oregon | 21,550 | $43,100 | $21 |
| Colorado | 30,600 | $41,600 | $20 |
| New Hampshire | 7,190 | $40,200 | $19 |
| Alaska | 2,350 | $40,140 | $19 |
| Connecticut | 14,830 | $39,480 | $19 |
| Arizona | 30,870 | $38,670 | $19 |
| Nevada | 27,250 | $38,610 | $19 |
| Minnesota | 26,080 | $38,590 | $19 |
| New Jersey | 28,800 | $38,460 | $18 |
| Montana | 7,580 | $38,060 | $18 |
| Delaware | 5,280 | $37,840 | $18 |
| Maryland | 17,690 | $37,820 | $18 |
| Illinois | 53,540 | $37,580 | $18 |
| Nebraska | 4,750 | $37,030 | $18 |
| Florida | 124,040 | $37,020 | $18 |
| Michigan | 39,100 | $36,980 | $18 |
| Missouri | 25,990 | $36,940 | $18 |
| Wyoming | 2,710 | $36,830 | $18 |
| Virginia | 40,310 | $36,750 | $18 |
| Pennsylvania | 54,100 | $36,580 | $18 |
| Wisconsin | 25,410 | $36,550 | $18 |
| Rhode Island | 6,950 | $36,510 | $18 |
| Utah | 10,520 | $36,490 | $18 |
| North Dakota | 4,490 | $36,470 | $18 |
| Idaho | 8,130 | $36,440 | $18 |
| Tennessee | 28,220 | $36,420 | $18 |
| South Dakota | 1,890 | $36,220 | $17 |
| Georgia | 46,350 | $35,940 | $17 |
| South Carolina | 25,890 | $35,740 | $17 |
| Iowa | 12,270 | $35,670 | $17 |
| Ohio | 46,910 | $35,540 | $17 |
| North Carolina | 50,150 | $35,400 | $17 |
| Indiana | 26,960 | $35,170 | $17 |
| Kansas | 11,620 | $35,130 | $17 |
| New Mexico | 7,810 | $35,020 | $17 |
| Texas | 126,620 | $34,760 | $17 |
| Kentucky | 13,510 | $34,640 | $17 |
| Alabama | 16,260 | $32,180 | $15 |
| Oklahoma | 17,050 | $31,720 | $15 |
| Arkansas | 11,270 | $30,180 | $15 |
| West Virginia | 6,450 | $29,590 | $14 |
| Mississippi | 10,770 | $29,560 | $14 |
| Louisiana | 14,910 | $29,050 | $14 |
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.