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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
417,780 0.6 % $ 16.19 $ 33,670 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 11.18 $ 13.22 $ 15.63 $ 18.15 $ 21.74
Annual Wage (2) $ 23,250 $ 27,490 $ 32,510 $ 37,760 $ 45,230


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 141,510 1.69 $ 15.05 $ 31,310
Special Food Services 59,460 9.34 $ 17.05 $ 35,460
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 43,030 3.20 $ 15.59 $ 32,420
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 42,500 4.83 $ 16.70 $ 34,740
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 29,950 0.54 $ 18.86 $ 39,230

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 59,460 9.34 $ 17.05 $ 35,460
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 42,500 4.83 $ 16.70 $ 34,740
Rooming and Boarding Houses 460 4.61 $ 16.79 $ 34,920
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 43,030 3.20 $ 15.59 $ 32,420
Child Day Care Services 19,970 2.28 $ 14.24 $ 29,630

Top paying industries for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Water Transportation 120 0.13 $ 34.41 $ 71,580
Support Activities for Mining 80 0.03 $ 25.50 $ 53,040
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 2,720 0.13 $ 24.03 $ 49,990
Inland Water Transportation 200 0.75 $ 23.73 $ 49,350
Other Food Manufacturing 110 0.05 $ 23.03 $ 47,910


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 2022


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 42,860 3.30 1.17 $ 14.14 $ 29,420
Ohio 23,250 4.33 1.53 $ 16.07 $ 33,430
California 22,960 1.30 0.46 $ 20.89 $ 43,440
Illinois 20,120 3.42 1.21 $ 16.10 $ 33,490
Florida 19,030 2.07 0.73 $ 15.42 $ 32,070


Map of location quotient of cooks, institution and cafeteria by state, May 2022


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)
Oklahoma 11,960 7.45 2.64 $ 12.68 $ 26,360
North Dakota 2,540 6.25 2.21 $ 17.87 $ 37,170
West Virginia 4,130 6.09 2.15 $ 13.84 $ 28,790
Kentucky 11,560 6.09 2.15 $ 14.19 $ 29,520
Arkansas 7,460 6.06 2.14 $ 13.56 $ 28,200


Map of annual mean wages of cooks, institution and cafeteria by state, May 2022


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 850 1.43 0.51 $ 21.67 $ 45,080
Alaska 1,510 4.94 1.75 $ 21.64 $ 45,000
Massachusetts 7,270 2.04 0.72 $ 21.30 $ 44,310
District of Columbia 1,330 1.92 0.68 $ 21.10 $ 43,880
California 22,960 1.30 0.46 $ 20.89 $ 43,440



Map of employment of cooks, institution and cafeteria by area, May 2022


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 13,680 1.49 0.53 $ 21.40 $ 44,510
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 12,510 2.83 1.00 $ 16.79 $ 34,920
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 9,140 2.99 1.06 $ 14.58 $ 30,330
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 9,020 2.37 0.84 $ 15.07 $ 31,340
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,840 1.28 0.45 $ 20.38 $ 42,400
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 7,220 2.61 0.92 $ 18.16 $ 37,780
St. Louis, MO-IL 6,680 5.10 1.81 $ 15.42 $ 32,070
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,490 1.81 0.64 $ 19.53 $ 40,610
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,180 1.92 0.68 $ 21.58 $ 44,890
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,160 1.97 0.70 $ 15.44 $ 32,100


Map of location quotient of cooks, institution and cafeteria by area, May 2022


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)
Carbondale-Marion, IL 590 11.31 4.00 $ 14.26 $ 29,660
Enid, OK 190 8.06 2.85 $ 12.44 $ 25,860
Dover, DE 510 7.80 2.76 $ 18.06 $ 37,570
Danville, IL 200 7.80 2.76 $ 16.28 $ 33,860
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 970 7.57 2.68 $ 13.91 $ 28,930
Fort Smith, AR-OK 790 7.53 2.66 $ 12.25 $ 25,470
Owensboro, KY 370 7.41 2.62 $ 13.56 $ 28,210
Bowling Green, KY 550 7.38 2.61 $ 13.76 $ 28,610
Montgomery, AL 1,140 7.26 2.57 $ 12.09 $ 25,140
Lawton, OK 300 7.23 2.56 $ 12.90 $ 26,830


Map of annual mean wages of cooks, institution and cafeteria by area, May 2022


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)
Napa, CA 110 1.43 0.51 $ 23.68 $ 49,260
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,670 1.49 0.53 $ 23.27 $ 48,400
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,940 1.23 0.43 $ 23.14 $ 48,130
Fairbanks, AK 100 3.03 1.07 $ 23.05 $ 47,950
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 90 1.20 0.43 $ 22.87 $ 47,570
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 240 1.73 0.61 $ 22.35 $ 46,490
New Haven, CT 680 2.38 0.84 $ 22.32 $ 46,430
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5,010 2.46 0.87 $ 21.78 $ 45,300
Barnstable Town, MA 260 2.61 0.92 $ 21.63 $ 44,990
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,180 1.92 0.68 $ 21.58 $ 44,890

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 2,830 7.39 2.62 $ 13.50 $ 28,080
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 1,730 5.37 1.90 $ 14.82 $ 30,820
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 1,580 9.80 3.47 $ 13.75 $ 28,610
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,570 5.73 2.03 $ 12.41 $ 25,810
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,410 8.53 3.02 $ 12.37 $ 25,740

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)
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 1,330 14.09 4.99 $ 12.22 $ 25,420
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,280 13.08 4.63 $ 12.15 $ 25,270
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 640 10.49 3.71 $ 17.26 $ 35,900
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 610 10.02 3.55 $ 11.63 $ 24,200
Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 380 9.96 3.53 $ 14.24 $ 29,620

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 1.49 0.53 $ 24.02 $ 49,950
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 190 3.15 1.12 $ 21.61 $ 44,940
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 840 8.28 2.93 $ 21.56 $ 44,840
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 290 2.85 1.01 $ 20.98 $ 43,640
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 540 4.35 1.54 $ 20.75 $ 43,160


About May 2022 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.

(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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023