Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Summary

Please enable javascript to play this video.

Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkDvSm1jgjw.
Quick Facts: Cooks
2022 Median Pay $30,910 per year
$14.86 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education See How to Become One
Work Experience in a Related Occupation See How to Become One
On-the-job Training See How to Become One
Number of Jobs, 2022 2,729,300
Job Outlook, 2022-32 6% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2022-32 175,300

What Cooks Do

Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.

Work Environment

Cooks work in restaurants, schools, hospitals, private households, and other places where food is prepared and served. Their work hours may include early mornings, late evenings, holidays, and weekends. Most cooks work full time, although part-time work is common.

How to Become a Cook

Cooks typically learn their skills through on-the-job training and related work experience. Although no formal education is required, some cooks attend culinary school.

Pay

The median hourly wage for cooks was $14.86 in May 2022.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 439,300 openings for cooks are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for cooks.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of cooks with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about cooks by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Cooks Do About this section

Cooks
Cooks may prepare fresh vegetables.

Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.

Duties

Cooks typically do the following:

  • Ensure the freshness of ingredients
  • Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes
  • Bake, grill, or fry meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods
  • Boil and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods
  • Arrange and garnish food on serving dishes
  • Clean work areas, equipment, utensils, and dishes
  • Cook, handle, and store food or ingredients

Cooks usually work under the direction of chefs, head cooks, or food service managers. Large restaurants and food service establishments often have multiple menus and large kitchen staffs. Teams of restaurant cooks, sometimes called assistant cooks or line cooks, work at assigned stations equipped with the stoves, grills, pans, and ingredients they need to prepare food.

Job titles often reflect the principal ingredient cooks prepare or the type of cooking they do, such as fry cook or grill cook.

Cooks use a variety of kitchen equipment, including broilers, grills, slicers, grinders, and blenders.

Cooks' responsibilities vary depending on the type of food service establishment, the size of the facility, and the level of service offered. However, in all establishments, they follow sanitation procedures when handling food. For example, they store food and ingredients at the correct temperatures to prevent bacterial growth.

The following are examples of types of cooks:

Fast food cooks prepare a limited selection of menu items in fast-food restaurants. They cook and package food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, to be kept warm until served. For more information about workers who prepare and serve items in fast-food restaurants, see the profiles on food preparation workers and food and beverage serving and related workers.

Institution and cafeteria cooks work in the kitchens of schools, cafeterias, businesses, hospitals, and other establishments. They typically prepare a large quantity of entrees, vegetables, and desserts according to preset menus. However, they sometimes customize meals, such as for diners’ dietary considerations.

Private household cooks, sometimes called personal chefs, plan and prepare meals in private homes, according to the client’s tastes and dietary needs. They pick up groceries and supplies, clean the kitchen, and wash dishes and utensils. They also may cater parties, holiday meals, luncheons, and other events. Private household cooks typically work full-time for one client, although many are self-employed or employed by an agency, regularly preparing meals for multiple clients.

Restaurant cooks prepare a variety of dishes, usually by individual order, in eating establishments. Some restaurant cooks order supplies and help maintain the stock room.

Short order cooks prepare and sometimes serve foods in restaurants and coffee shops that emphasize fast service. For example, they might make sandwiches, fry eggs, and cook french fries, often working on several orders at the same time.

Work Environment About this section

cooks image
Cooks often work in restaurants.

Cooks held about 2.7 million jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up cooks was distributed as follows:

Cooks, restaurant 1,361,200
Cooks, fast food 742,000
Cooks, institution and cafeteria 434,500
Cooks, short order 137,400
Cooks, private household 34,000
Cooks, all other 20,200

The largest employers of cooks were as follows:

Restaurants and other eating places 72%
Healthcare and social assistance 6
Educational services; state, local, and private 6

Cooks work in restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels, and other establishments where food is prepared and served. They often prepare only part of a dish and coordinate with other cooks and kitchen workers to complete meals on time. Some work in private homes.

Cooks stand for long periods and work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. Although most cooks work indoors in kitchens, some may work outdoors at food stands, at catered events, or in mobile food trucks.

Injuries and Illnesses

Kitchens are usually crowded and filled with potential dangers, such as hot ovens or slippery floors. Cooks, all other, in particular, have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. ("All other" titles represent occupations with a wide range of characteristics that do not fit into any of the other detailed occupations.)

The most common hazards are slips, falls, cuts, and burns, although injuries are seldom serious. To reduce the risks, cooks wear gloves, long-sleeve shirts, aprons, and nonslip shoes.

Work Schedules

Most cooks work full time, although part-time work is common. Work schedules vary and may include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. In school cafeterias and some institutional cafeterias, cooks usually have more regular hours.

Cooks who are employed in schools may work only during the school year, typically for 9 or 10 months. Similarly, cooks who are employed in some resort establishments work only for seasonal operation.

How to Become a Cook About this section

Cooks
Cooks typically learn their skills on the job from an experienced chef.

Most cooks learn their skills through on-the-job training and work-related experience. Although no formal education is typically required, some cooks attend culinary schools. Others attend vocational or apprenticeship programs.

Education

Cooks typically do not need formal education. However, employers may require or prefer that applicants have a high school diploma.

Vocational cooking schools, professional culinary institutes, and some colleges offer programs and courses on topics such as cooking techniques and international cuisines. Programs generally last from a few months to 2 years, and applicants may be required to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Depending on the type and length of the program, graduates generally qualify for entry-level positions as a restaurant cook.

Training

Cooks typically learn their skills on the job. The length of on-the-job training varies for different types of cooks. Trainees generally first learn kitchen basics and workplace safety and then learn how to handle and cook food.

Some cooks learn through an apprenticeship program. Culinary institutes, industry associations, and trade unions may sponsor such programs for cooks. Apprentices complete courses in food sanitation and safety, basic knife skills, and equipment operation. They also learn practical cooking skills under the supervision of an experienced chef. The length of apprenticeship programs vary but typically last about 1 year.

The American Culinary Federation accredits many academic training programs and sponsors apprenticeships through these programs around the country. Minimum qualifications for entering an apprenticeship program typically include being at least 17 years old and having a high school diploma or equivalent.

Some hotels and restaurants offer their own training programs.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Many states do not require certification for cooks. Some states and localities require cooks to have a food handler’s certification. For more information, contact your state or local licensing board.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Many cooks, particularly those who work in restaurants and private households, learn their skills through work-related experience. Starting as a kitchen helper or food preparation worker allows cooks to learn basic skills, which may lead to opportunities to gain experience in assistant cook or line cook positions. Some work under the guidance of more experienced cooks.

Advancement

The American Culinary Federation certifies chefs, personal chefs, pastry chefs, and culinary administrators, among others. Professional certification may lead to higher level or higher paying positions.

Advancement opportunities for cooks often depend on training, work experience, and the ability to prepare complex dishes. Those interested in advancing should learn new cooking skills and take on increasing responsibility, such as supervising kitchen staff in the absence of a chef. Some cooks train or supervise kitchen staff, and some become head cooks, chefs, or food service managers.

Important Qualities

Attention to detail. Cooks need to listen carefully to orders and follow recipes to prepare dishes correctly.

Dexterity. Cooks should have excellent hand–eye coordination. For example, they need to use proper knife techniques for cutting, chopping, and dicing.

Physical stamina. Cooks spend a lot of time standing in one place, cooking food over hot stoves, and cleaning work areas.

Sense of taste and smell. Cooks must have a keen sense of taste and smell to prepare meals that customers enjoy.

Pay About this section

Cooks

Median hourly wages, May 2022

Total, all occupations

$22.26

Cooks

$14.86

Cooks and food preparation workers

$14.71

 

The median hourly wage for cooks was $14.86 in May 2022. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.57, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $20.56.

Median hourly wages for cooks in May 2022 were as follows:

Cooks, private household $18.54
Cooks, restaurant 16.40
Cooks, all other 16.06
Cooks, institution and cafeteria 15.63
Cooks, short order 14.60
Cooks, fast food 13.29

In May 2022, the median hourly wages for cooks in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Healthcare and social assistance $16.36
Restaurants and other eating places 14.58
Educational services; state, local, and private 14.30

Pay for cooks varies greatly by region and type of employer. Pay is usually highest in upscale hotels and restaurants, as well as in major metropolitan and resort areas.

Most cooks work full time, although part-time work is common. Work schedules may vary and may include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. In school cafeterias and some institutional cafeterias, cooks usually have more regular hours.

Cooks employed in schools may work only during the school year, typically for 9 or 10 months. Similarly, cooks employed in some resort establishments work only for seasonal operation.

Job Outlook About this section

Cooks

Percent change in employment, projected 2022-32

Cooks

6%

Cooks and food preparation workers

4%

Total, all occupations

3%

 

Overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 439,300 openings for cooks are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of cooks varies by occupation (see table).

Population and income growth are expected to result in greater consumer demand for food at a variety of dining places. People will continue to eat out, buy takeout meals, or have food delivered. New restaurants, cafeterias, and catering services are expected to open, requiring more cooks to prepare meals for this increased consumer demand.

In addition, consumers continue to prefer healthy foods in restaurants, grocery stores, and other dining venues. To prepare high-quality meals at these places, many managers and chefs will require experienced cooks.

Employment of some cooks is projected to decline, however. For example, reduced demand for fast food cooks is expected because of automated systems, employment of workers who both prepare and serve food, and other efforts to streamline operations.

Employment projections data for cooks, 2022-32
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2022 Projected Employment, 2032 Change, 2022-32 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Cooks

35-2010 2,729,300 2,904,500 6 175,300 Get data

Cooks, fast food

35-2011 742,000 640,400 -14 -101,600 Get data

Cooks, institution and cafeteria

35-2012 434,500 443,400 2 8,900 Get data

Cooks, private household

35-2013 34,000 32,100 -6 -1,900 Get data

Cooks, restaurant

35-2014 1,361,200 1,638,900 20 277,600 Get data

Cooks, short order

35-2015 137,400 128,900 -6 -8,400 Get data

Cooks, all other

35-2019 20,200 20,800 3 600 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of cooks.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2022 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Bakers Bakers

Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods.

No formal educational credential $32,780
Food and beverage serving and related workers Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers

Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.

No formal educational credential $28,130
Food preparation workers Food Preparation Workers

Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee.

No formal educational credential $29,790
Food service managers Food Service Managers

Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages.

High school diploma or equivalent $61,310

Contacts for More Information About this section

Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for information about apprenticeship opportunities.

For more information about cooking careers, visit

American Culinary Federation

National Restaurant Association

For information about becoming a personal chef, visit

United States Personal Chef Association

For information about certification, contact your state or local licensing board or a professional association.

CareerOneStop

For career videos on cooks, visit

Cooks, Fast Food

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Cooks, Short Order

O*NET

Cooks, All Other

Cooks, Fast Food

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Cooks, Private Household

Cooks, Restaurant

Cooks, Short Order

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Cooks,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/cooks.htm (visited January 27, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2023

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2022 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2022, the median annual wage for all workers was $46,310.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2022

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2022, which is the base year of the 2022-32 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2022-32

The projected percent change in employment from 2022 to 2032. The average growth rate for all occupations is 3 percent.

Employment Change, 2022-32

The projected numeric change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2022-32

The projected numeric change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

2022 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2022, the median annual wage for all workers was $46,310.