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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

35-2012 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.


National estimates for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Industry profile for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Geographic profile for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

National estimates for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
392,860 0.7 % $ 15.15 $ 31,520 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 10.65 $ 11.78 $ 14.38 $ 17.67 $ 21.14
Annual Wage (2) $ 22,140 $ 24,500 $ 29,910 $ 36,760 $ 43,980


Industry profile for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Elementary and Secondary Schools 127,350 1.57 $ 13.87 $ 28,850
Special Food Services 52,250 11.03 $ 15.71 $ 32,690
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 44,940 3.19 $ 14.74 $ 30,650
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 42,600 4.78 $ 15.54 $ 32,320
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 31,690 0.57 $ 17.55 $ 36,500

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Special Food Services 52,250 11.03 $ 15.71 $ 32,690
Rooming and Boarding Houses 440 4.95 $ 15.60 $ 32,440
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 42,600 4.78 $ 15.54 $ 32,320
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 44,940 3.19 $ 14.74 $ 30,650
Child Day Care Services 17,520 2.18 $ 13.22 $ 27,500

Top paying industries for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (8) (8) $ 23.70 $ 49,290
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 2,700 0.13 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 40 (7) $ 20.43 $ 42,490
Inland Water Transportation 50 0.22 $ 20.32 $ 42,260
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 120 0.36 $ 19.66 $ 40,900


Geographic profile for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of cooks, institution and cafeteria by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 30,340 2.48 0.89 $ 13.58 $ 28,250
Ohio 23,470 4.51 1.62 $ 14.52 $ 30,190
Florida 22,400 2.60 0.93 $ 13.93 $ 28,980
California 19,560 1.18 0.42 $ 19.97 $ 41,530
Illinois 17,690 3.15 1.13 $ 14.79 $ 30,770


Map of location quotient of cooks, institution and cafeteria by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Virginia 4,970 7.56 2.71 $ 13.04 $ 27,130
Oklahoma 10,610 6.81 2.44 $ 12.10 $ 25,160
Arkansas 7,930 6.66 2.39 $ 12.19 $ 25,350
Kentucky 11,460 6.24 2.24 $ 13.33 $ 27,720
Mississippi 6,440 5.84 2.10 $ 10.63 $ 22,120


Map of annual mean wages of cooks, institution and cafeteria by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 730 1.34 0.48 $ 21.12 $ 43,920
Alaska 1,370 4.63 1.66 $ 20.96 $ 43,610
Massachusetts 6,310 1.86 0.67 $ 20.89 $ 43,440
California 19,560 1.18 0.42 $ 19.97 $ 41,530
Washington 10,890 3.40 1.22 $ 19.88 $ 41,350



Map of employment of cooks, institution and cafeteria by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 12,170 1.40 0.50 $ 20.50 $ 42,630
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 10,820 2.56 0.92 $ 15.46 $ 32,160
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,760 2.55 0.91 $ 16.85 $ 35,050
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 6,550 1.82 0.65 $ 14.40 $ 29,950
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,320 1.11 0.40 $ 19.69 $ 40,950
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,210 2.14 0.77 $ 13.95 $ 29,010
St. Louis, MO-IL 5,960 4.67 1.67 $ 13.88 $ 28,870
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,950 2.42 0.87 $ 14.45 $ 30,060
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 5,760 5.13 1.84 $ 19.48 $ 40,520
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,980 1.70 0.61 $ 18.28 $ 38,020


Map of location quotient of cooks, institution and cafeteria by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 1,040 8.37 3.00 $ 13.06 $ 27,170
Bowling Green, KY 600 8.37 3.00 $ 12.66 $ 26,340
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 300 8.34 2.99 $ 12.78 $ 26,590
Montgomery, AL 1,240 8.05 2.89 $ 10.03 $ 20,860
Dover, DE 480 7.51 2.69 $ 17.69 $ 36,790
Danville, IL 190 7.42 2.66 $ 14.07 $ 29,260
Owensboro, KY 370 7.37 2.64 $ 13.20 $ 27,460
Fort Smith, AR-OK 750 7.34 2.63 $ 11.24 $ 23,380
Beckley, WV 280 7.13 2.56 $ 12.49 $ 25,970
Pine Bluff, AR 210 7.04 2.53 $ 12.25 $ 25,470


Map of annual mean wages of cooks, institution and cafeteria by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,220 1.14 0.41 $ 23.14 $ 48,130
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,580 1.15 0.41 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 70 1.12 0.40 $ 22.60 $ 47,000
Fairbanks, AK 100 2.81 1.01 $ 22.02 $ 45,800
Napa, CA 100 1.42 0.51 $ 21.75 $ 45,240
Hanford-Corcoran, CA 60 1.50 0.54 $ 21.55 $ 44,820
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,440 1.72 0.62 $ 21.43 $ 44,570
Barnstable Town, MA 200 2.11 0.76 $ 21.13 $ 43,940
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 170 1.33 0.48 $ 21.03 $ 43,740
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,970 2.07 0.74 $ 20.88 $ 43,440

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 2,840 7.57 2.72 $ 12.90 $ 26,840
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 1,890 6.01 2.15 $ 13.31 $ 27,670
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 1,700 10.77 3.86 $ 12.03 $ 25,010
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 1,560 6.49 2.33 $ 13.70 $ 28,490
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 1,440 9.38 3.36 $ 12.49 $ 25,980

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,280 13.37 4.79 $ 11.62 $ 24,160
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 1,700 10.77 3.86 $ 12.03 $ 25,010
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 720 10.76 3.86 $ 12.28 $ 25,540
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 600 10.37 3.72 $ 10.84 $ 22,550
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 920 10.11 3.63 $ 11.91 $ 24,770

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 150 1.69 0.61 $ 23.17 $ 48,190
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 760 7.77 2.79 $ 21.04 $ 43,760
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 190 3.26 1.17 $ 20.34 $ 42,310
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 290 2.97 1.07 $ 19.41 $ 40,370
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 490 4.09 1.47 $ 19.27 $ 40,070


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022