State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Cook, Institution and Cafeteria Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria earn a median of $37,450 per year ($18.01/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.0% through 2034, with about 69,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-2012Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $37,450
- Projected growth
- +2.0%
- Openings a year
- 69,700
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Cafeteria Cook, Cook, Dietary Cook, Dinner Cook, Food Service Specialist, Food Service Worker.
How much do Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make?
10th percentile$28,480
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$32,440
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$37,450
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$44,800
Upper quartile
90th percentile$49,670
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $37,450 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $18.01/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $38,810 |
| People employed | 441,050 |
Versus all US occupations
At $37,450, Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria earn 27% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,530 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
Inside the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,275, this is 6% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $49,670 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,480, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 6% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($49,670), but once local prices are taken into account Alaska leads at $47,460 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $49,670 | $46,415 | 9,780 |
| Alaska | $48,580 | $47,460 | 1,430 |
| Massachusetts | $47,790 | $45,188 | 7,430 |
| Hawaii | $47,770 | $43,447 | 1,570 |
| Rhode Island | $46,570 | $45,532 | 1,190 |
| California | $46,390 | $41,898 | 31,660 |
| Vermont | $46,370 | $47,337 | 1,330 |
| Connecticut | $46,120 | $44,513 | 4,500 |
| New York | $45,880 | $42,513 | 17,670 |
| District of Columbia | $45,450 | $41,355 | 1,500 |
Is Cook, Institution and Cafeteria a growing career?
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria2.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+2.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria to change 2.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 9,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 69,700 openings are projected each year, 15.0% of the 466,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
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.
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.
How to become a Cook, Institution and Cafeteria
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.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as cooks, institution and cafeteria.
- High School Diploma71.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.2%
- Bachelor's Degree6.8%
- Some College Courses5.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma1.9%
What does a Cook, Institution and Cafeteria do?
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.
Day-to-day tasks
- Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
- Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
- Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
- Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
- Rotate and store food supplies.
- Train new employees.
- Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
- Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Speaking3.1/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Reading Comprehension2.9/5
- Mathematics2.9/5
- Active Learning2.9/5
- Writing2.8/5
Transferable skills
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.0/5
Tools and software
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Cook, Institution and Cafeteria?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.9
Investigative1.8
Artistic2.0
Socialprimary3.2
Enterprising3.2
Conventionalprimary4.3
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Cook, Institution and Cafeteria: frequently asked questions
How much do Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make?
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria earn a median of $37,450 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 27% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.01/hr. The middle half earn between $32,440 and $44,800. The top 10% earn $49,670 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Cook, Institution and Cafeteria?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 71.1% hold high school diploma.
Is Cook, Institution and Cafeteria a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.0% over 2024–2034 against 3.1% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 69,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Cook, Institution and Cafeteria do?
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. A core O*NET task: monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety. Employers most often ask for Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria the most?
The highest state medians for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria are Washington ($49,670), Alaska ($48,580), Massachusetts ($47,790) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Alaska moves to the top at $47,460.
What personality type suits a Cook, Institution and Cafeteria?
O*NET scores Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.