236 metro areas
Cook, Short Order Salary by City (2026)
Cooks earn the most in Kahului, HI, an average of $52,560 a year, against $36,120 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Denver, CO ($48,720 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $36,120BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $52,560Kahului, HI
- Best after cost of living
- $48,720Denver, CO
- Metro areas
- 236With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for cooks
Top 10 metro areas
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,540
- Seattle, WA$49,570
- Corvallis, OR$48,590
- San Francisco, CA$46,260
- San Jose, CA$45,720
- Santa Rosa, CA$45,590
- Phoenix, AZ$45,490
- Napa, CA$44,260
- Vallejo, CA$44,080
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $52,560 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $51,540 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $49,570 |
| Corvallis, OR | $48,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,260 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,720 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $45,590 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $45,490 |
| Napa, CA | $44,260 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,080 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Denver, CO$51,540 nominal$48,720
- Kahului, HI$52,560 nominal$48,050
- Topeka, KS$41,640 nominal$46,880
- Corvallis, OR$48,590 nominal$46,710
- Barnstable Town, MA$44,010 nominal$44,750
- Seattle, WA$49,570 nominal$44,600
- Phoenix, AZ$45,490 nominal$44,030
- Santa Rosa, CA$45,590 nominal$42,300
- Yakima, WA$40,410 nominal$42,290
- Amherst Town, MA$41,970 nominal$41,870
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,720 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $48,050 |
| Topeka, KS | $46,880 |
| Corvallis, OR | $46,710 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $44,750 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,600 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $44,030 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $42,300 |
| Yakima, WA | $42,290 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $41,870 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Cook, Short Order salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului, HI | $52,560 | $45,910 | $55,850 | $48,050 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $51,540 | $41,120 | $56,660 | $48,720 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $49,570 | $42,540 | $53,020 | $44,600 |
| 4 | Corvallis, OR | $48,590 | $34,760 | $55,390 | $46,710 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,260 | $41,290 | $48,690 | $40,010 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $45,720 | $41,370 | $47,860 | $41,400 |
| 7 | Santa Rosa, CA | $45,590 | $39,250 | $48,710 | $42,300 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $45,490 | $36,360 | $49,960 | $44,030 |
| 9 | Napa, CA | $44,260 | $38,460 | $47,110 | $39,320 |
| 10 | Vallejo, CA | $44,080 | $37,880 | $47,110 | $40,630 |
| 11 | Barnstable Town, MA | $44,010 | $33,220 | $49,340 | $44,750 |
| 12 | Bridgeport, CT | $43,180 | $40,930 | $44,260 | $40,410 |
| 13 | Los Angeles, CA | $42,430 | $38,480 | $44,390 | $37,360 |
| 14 | Amherst Town, MA | $41,970 | $33,510 | $46,160 | $41,870 |
| 15 | Salinas, CA | $41,930 | $37,070 | $44,300 | $38,450 |
| 16 | Oxnard, CA | $41,890 | $35,980 | $44,800 | $37,900 |
| 17 | Burlington, VT | $41,750 | $35,050 | $45,050 | $41,360 |
| 18 | Portland, OR-WA | $41,640 | $36,130 | $44,350 | $39,500 |
| 19 | Providence, RI-MA | $41,640 | $33,470 | $45,680 | $40,910 |
| 20 | Topeka, KS | $41,640 | $25,940 | $49,380 | $46,880 |
| 21 | Waterbury, CT | $41,640 | $36,150 | $44,350 | $41,730 |
| 22 | Boston, MA-NH | $41,600 | $32,030 | $46,320 | $38,420 |
| 23 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $41,520 | $34,670 | $44,890 | $37,420 |
| 24 | Sacramento, CA | $41,140 | $36,360 | $43,490 | $38,570 |
| 25 | Santa Cruz, CA | $41,120 | $37,150 | $43,080 | $37,420 |
| 26 | Worcester, MA | $40,750 | $31,760 | $45,180 | $39,750 |
| 27 | Modesto, CA | $40,710 | $36,500 | $42,790 | $39,100 |
| 28 | Bellingham, WA | $40,660 | $36,520 | $42,700 | $39,350 |
| 29 | Yuba City, CA | $40,460 | $35,800 | $42,760 | $38,820 |
| 30 | Yakima, WA | $40,410 | $34,900 | $43,140 | $42,290 |
| 31 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $40,270 | $36,630 | $42,060 | $37,080 |
| 32 | Santa Maria, CA | $40,210 | $35,630 | $42,450 | $36,960 |
| 33 | Norwich, CT | $40,100 | $34,800 | $42,720 | $39,920 |
| 34 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $40,020 | $33,680 | $43,140 | $36,750 |
| 35 | Anchorage, AK | $39,980 | $36,840 | $41,520 | $37,920 |
| 36 | Springfield, MA | $39,790 | $31,800 | $43,740 | $41,420 |
| 37 | San Diego, CA | $39,770 | $35,940 | $41,640 | $35,540 |
| 38 | Medford, OR | $39,500 | $31,800 | $43,280 | $38,940 |
| 39 | New York, NY-NJ | $39,330 | $33,740 | $42,080 | $34,940 |
| 40 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,330 | $34,670 | $41,620 | $41,360 |
| 41 | Hanford, CA | $39,270 | $34,940 | $41,410 | $38,650 |
| 42 | Pittsfield, MA | $39,230 | $31,640 | $42,970 | $41,250 |
| 43 | Salt Lake City, UT | $39,060 | $29,080 | $43,970 | $38,720 |
| 44 | Stockton, CA | $39,040 | $35,340 | $40,850 | $37,150 |
| 45 | Bakersfield, CA | $39,020 | $35,010 | $41,000 | $38,680 |
| 46 | Chicago, IL-IN | $38,980 | $34,340 | $41,270 | $37,630 |
| 47 | Rochester, NY | $38,940 | $33,570 | $41,580 | $40,130 |
| 48 | Chico, CA | $38,920 | $34,590 | $41,040 | $38,460 |
| 49 | Visalia, CA | $38,750 | $34,570 | $40,810 | $38,820 |
| 50 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $38,690 | $33,840 | $41,080 | $35,360 |
| 51 | Fresno, CA | $38,560 | $34,990 | $40,310 | $37,750 |
| 52 | Tucson, AZ | $38,560 | $31,720 | $41,930 | $39,800 |
| 53 | Kingston, NY | $38,400 | $33,760 | $40,680 | $38,130 |
| 54 | Merced, CA | $38,400 | $34,670 | $40,250 | $39,070 |
| 55 | Traverse City, MI | $38,400 | $31,370 | $41,870 | $41,130 |
| 56 | Trenton, NJ | $38,330 | $33,860 | $40,520 | $37,150 |
| 57 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $38,290 | $31,930 | $41,410 | $40,690 |
| 58 | Baltimore, MD | $38,190 | $34,530 | $40,000 | $36,550 |
| 59 | Redding, CA | $38,170 | $34,570 | $39,940 | $37,910 |
| 60 | Riverside, CA | $37,960 | $35,110 | $39,350 | $35,660 |
| 61 | Portland, ME | $37,940 | $33,950 | $39,890 | $37,250 |
| 62 | Ithaca, NY | $37,880 | $32,840 | $40,350 | $36,660 |
| 63 | Bend, OR | $37,860 | $31,280 | $41,100 | $36,540 |
| 64 | Santa Fe, NM | $37,790 | $32,700 | $40,290 | $38,260 |
| 65 | Naples, FL | $37,690 | $35,320 | $38,830 | $36,520 |
| 66 | Lexington Park, MD | $37,540 | $34,720 | $38,940 | $37,260 |
| 67 | Ogden, UT | $37,460 | $24,020 | $44,100 | $37,330 |
| 68 | Syracuse, NY | $37,440 | $33,720 | $39,290 | $39,110 |
| 69 | Albany, OR | $37,400 | $31,160 | $40,480 | $36,630 |
| 70 | Albuquerque, NM | $37,360 | $30,600 | $40,680 | $39,100 |
| 71 | Reno, NV | $37,150 | $29,000 | $41,180 | $36,780 |
| 72 | Atlantic City, NJ | $37,090 | $32,930 | $39,120 | $37,520 |
| 73 | Lexington, KY | $37,020 | $27,440 | $41,750 | $39,850 |
| 74 | Spokane, WA | $36,980 | $34,960 | $37,980 | $36,850 |
| 75 | Muskegon, MI | $36,900 | $29,890 | $40,370 | $39,880 |
| 76 | Buffalo, NY | $36,860 | $32,510 | $39,000 | $38,460 |
| 77 | Glens Falls, NY | $36,730 | $32,450 | $38,830 | $38,720 |
| 78 | Des Moines, IA | $36,670 | $28,700 | $40,600 | $39,990 |
| 79 | Eugene, OR | $36,500 | $28,750 | $40,310 | $35,940 |
| 80 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $36,440 | $29,740 | $39,750 | $40,210 |
| 81 | Albany, NY | $36,400 | $32,240 | $38,460 | $36,560 |
| 82 | Nashville, TN | $36,400 | $27,540 | $40,770 | $37,780 |
| 83 | Miami, FL | $36,360 | $33,400 | $37,790 | $31,850 |
| 84 | Utica, NY | $36,230 | $32,300 | $38,170 | $39,090 |
| 85 | Bangor, ME | $36,210 | $31,700 | $38,440 | $37,520 |
| 86 | Durham, NC | $36,210 | $30,450 | $39,060 | $37,110 |
| 87 | Binghamton, NY | $36,170 | $32,240 | $38,110 | $38,950 |
| 88 | Dubuque, IA | $36,150 | $28,430 | $39,960 | $41,400 |
| 89 | Columbus, OH | $36,110 | $28,700 | $39,750 | $37,820 |
| 90 | Salem, OR | $35,730 | $30,330 | $38,420 | $34,470 |
| 91 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $35,730 | $28,270 | $39,400 | $41,330 |
| 92 | Ames, IA | $35,530 | $28,270 | $39,100 | $40,000 |
| 93 | Detroit, MI | $35,400 | $29,450 | $38,360 | $35,290 |
| 94 | Rockford, IL | $35,360 | $31,200 | $37,400 | $38,370 |
| 95 | Peoria, IL | $35,280 | $31,200 | $37,270 | $38,670 |
| 96 | Watertown, NY | $35,280 | $32,240 | $36,770 | $40,230 |
| 97 | Cape Coral, FL | $35,240 | $32,950 | $36,360 | $34,430 |
| 98 | Davenport, IA-IL | $35,150 | $29,470 | $37,960 | $39,460 |
| 99 | Waterloo, IA | $35,150 | $27,620 | $38,880 | $40,380 |
| 100 | North Port, FL | $35,110 | $33,990 | $35,670 | $34,280 |
| 101 | Iowa City, IA | $35,050 | $28,430 | $38,310 | $38,300 |
| 102 | Fort Collins, CO | $34,900 | $31,600 | $36,520 | $34,510 |
| 103 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $34,590 | $29,240 | $37,210 | $35,530 |
| 104 | Las Vegas, NV | $34,570 | $27,770 | $37,920 | $34,500 |
| 105 | Tampa, FL | $34,530 | $33,220 | $35,150 | $34,230 |
| 106 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $34,510 | $25,650 | $38,880 | $32,920 |
| 107 | Provo, UT | $34,510 | $22,840 | $40,250 | $35,130 |
| 108 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $34,440 | $32,390 | $35,460 | $34,360 |
| 109 | Palm Bay, FL | $34,340 | $32,390 | $35,320 | $34,340 |
| 110 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $34,320 | $27,730 | $37,560 | $38,580 |
| 111 | Colorado Springs, CO | $34,320 | $31,620 | $35,650 | $34,080 |
| 112 | Grand Rapids, MI | $34,220 | $28,020 | $37,270 | $35,820 |
| 113 | Oklahoma City, OK | $34,170 | $28,750 | $36,860 | $37,800 |
| 114 | Omaha, NE-IA | $34,110 | $28,180 | $37,040 | $37,110 |
| 115 | Rapid City, SD | $34,070 | $28,950 | $36,590 | $38,210 |
| 116 | Baton Rouge, LA | $34,030 | $24,150 | $38,880 | $37,490 |
| 117 | Lakeland, FL | $34,010 | $31,570 | $35,210 | $35,010 |
| 118 | Columbia, MO | $33,740 | $28,950 | $36,090 | $37,720 |
| 119 | Ann Arbor, MI | $33,720 | $28,520 | $36,300 | $33,430 |
| 120 | Orlando, FL | $33,550 | $29,470 | $35,550 | $33,080 |
| 121 | Lansing, MI | $33,490 | $28,310 | $36,030 | $35,260 |
| 122 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $33,400 | $29,870 | $35,150 | $35,470 |
| 123 | Deltona, FL | $33,260 | $31,240 | $34,260 | $33,470 |
| 124 | Manchester, NH | $33,200 | $25,080 | $37,190 | $31,420 |
| 125 | Saginaw, MI | $33,160 | $27,390 | $35,980 | $36,480 |
| 126 | Tulsa, OK | $33,090 | $27,210 | $36,000 | $37,090 |
| 127 | Panama City, FL | $33,030 | $31,390 | $33,840 | $33,950 |
| 128 | Gainesville, FL | $32,930 | $31,030 | $33,860 | $34,040 |
| 129 | Grand Island, NE | $32,760 | $28,080 | $35,070 | $37,800 |
| 130 | Pensacola, FL | $32,700 | $29,830 | $34,090 | $33,460 |
| 131 | Austin, TX | $32,430 | $25,460 | $35,880 | $33,070 |
| 132 | Charleston, SC | $32,410 | $28,870 | $34,150 | $32,100 |
| 133 | Lincoln, NE | $32,410 | $28,310 | $34,420 | $35,390 |
| 134 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $32,390 | $26,560 | $35,260 | $33,960 |
| 135 | San Antonio, TX | $32,320 | $26,420 | $35,240 | $34,120 |
| 136 | Duluth, MN-WI | $32,280 | $25,900 | $35,420 | $36,360 |
| 137 | Hammond, LA | $32,260 | $22,380 | $37,110 | $38,200 |
| 138 | Canton, OH | $32,090 | $25,670 | $35,260 | $35,890 |
| 139 | Akron, OH | $31,990 | $25,500 | $35,170 | $34,260 |
| 140 | Richmond, VA | $31,870 | $27,270 | $34,130 | $32,570 |
| 141 | Raleigh, NC | $31,600 | $23,360 | $35,650 | $32,190 |
| 142 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $31,510 | $25,150 | $34,650 | $34,340 |
| 143 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $31,430 | $21,940 | $36,110 | $33,770 |
| 144 | Tallahassee, FL | $31,430 | $28,230 | $33,010 | $33,470 |
| 145 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $31,430 | $25,980 | $34,110 | $32,090 |
| 146 | Appleton, WI | $31,410 | $25,940 | $34,110 | $33,990 |
| 147 | Winchester, VA-WV | $31,350 | $25,040 | $34,440 | $32,500 |
| 148 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $31,320 | $20,860 | $36,480 | $31,330 |
| 149 | Rochester, MN | $31,200 | $23,960 | $34,740 | $34,350 |
| 150 | Greenville, SC | $31,180 | $24,130 | $34,650 | $33,430 |
| 151 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $31,080 | $25,440 | $33,860 | $33,720 |
| 152 | Great Falls, MT | $30,950 | $28,000 | $32,410 | $31,960 |
| 153 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $30,890 | $26,540 | $33,030 | $33,380 |
| 154 | Knoxville, TN | $30,890 | $24,250 | $34,130 | $33,370 |
| 155 | Kenosha, WI | $30,780 | $24,810 | $33,740 | $30,440 |
| 156 | Wilmington, NC | $30,780 | $26,170 | $33,070 | $31,920 |
| 157 | Athens, GA | $30,720 | $22,650 | $34,690 | $32,910 |
| 158 | Toledo, OH | $30,620 | $25,790 | $33,010 | $33,480 |
| 159 | Staunton, VA | $30,580 | $27,660 | $32,010 | $33,560 |
| 160 | Winston, NC | $30,560 | $25,600 | $32,990 | $33,200 |
| 161 | Green Bay, WI | $30,530 | $25,040 | $33,240 | $32,800 |
| 162 | Midland, TX | $30,530 | $24,480 | $33,510 | $31,870 |
| 163 | Hinesville, GA | $30,510 | $21,420 | $35,010 | $32,480 |
| 164 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $30,490 | $23,110 | $34,130 | $33,340 |
| 165 | Morgantown, WV | $30,430 | $26,640 | $32,300 | $32,610 |
| 166 | Little Rock, AR | $30,410 | $27,460 | $31,870 | $34,030 |
| 167 | Racine, WI | $30,330 | $24,340 | $33,280 | $31,610 |
| 168 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $30,260 | $23,360 | $33,680 | $35,000 |
| 169 | Milwaukee, WI | $30,180 | $26,690 | $31,890 | $31,130 |
| 170 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $30,100 | $21,960 | $34,110 | $33,100 |
| 171 | Savannah, GA | $30,100 | $22,150 | $33,990 | $31,620 |
| 172 | Sandusky, OH | $30,080 | $25,190 | $32,490 | $33,690 |
| 173 | Roanoke, VA | $30,040 | $25,960 | $32,030 | $32,090 |
| 174 | Greensboro, NC | $29,990 | $23,630 | $33,110 | $32,290 |
| 175 | Madison, WI | $29,970 | $24,790 | $32,530 | $30,810 |
| 176 | Muncie, IN | $29,790 | $19,930 | $34,630 | $33,800 |
| 177 | Gulfport, MS | $29,740 | $24,210 | $32,470 | $33,040 |
| 178 | Johnson City, TN | $29,700 | $23,670 | $32,680 | $33,780 |
| 179 | Lancaster, PA | $29,640 | $19,320 | $34,720 | $30,170 |
| 180 | Dayton, OH | $29,620 | $24,130 | $32,320 | $31,950 |
| 181 | Bowling Green, KY | $29,560 | $22,550 | $33,010 | $32,780 |
| 182 | Harrisburg, PA | $29,450 | $18,570 | $34,800 | $29,850 |
| 183 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $29,390 | $18,700 | $34,670 | $28,660 |
| 184 | Hickory, NC | $29,310 | $24,290 | $31,780 | $33,120 |
| 185 | Augusta, GA-SC | $29,270 | $20,610 | $33,510 | $31,850 |
| 186 | Dallas, TX | $29,180 | $23,550 | $31,950 | $28,310 |
| 187 | Columbia, SC | $28,850 | $26,520 | $29,990 | $30,800 |
| 188 | Charleston, WV | $28,810 | $24,540 | $30,910 | $32,470 |
| 189 | Fort Wayne, IN | $28,660 | $20,570 | $32,660 | $30,960 |
| 190 | Michigan City, IN | $28,560 | $20,320 | $32,610 | $31,150 |
| 191 | Wichita, KS | $28,560 | $24,150 | $30,720 | $32,110 |
| 192 | New Orleans, LA | $28,310 | $20,990 | $31,910 | $30,570 |
| 193 | Jackson, MS | $28,270 | $22,340 | $31,180 | $31,750 |
| 194 | Youngstown, OH | $28,100 | $23,250 | $30,490 | $32,150 |
| 195 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $28,060 | $23,610 | $30,240 | $29,970 |
| 196 | Williamsport, PA | $28,040 | $16,870 | $33,530 | $30,360 |
| 197 | Odessa, TX | $28,020 | $23,340 | $30,310 | $29,840 |
| 198 | Springfield, OH | $28,000 | $24,500 | $29,720 | $30,950 |
| 199 | Kokomo, IN | $27,850 | $20,840 | $31,300 | $31,070 |
| 200 | Houston, TX | $27,730 | $23,400 | $29,870 | $28,120 |
| 201 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $27,580 | $23,280 | $29,680 | $31,230 |
| 202 | Shreveport, LA | $27,540 | $20,860 | $30,830 | $32,490 |
| 203 | Bloomington, IN | $27,390 | $20,200 | $30,950 | $28,810 |
| 204 | Cleveland, TN | $27,370 | $20,380 | $30,830 | $31,070 |
| 205 | Lafayette, LA | $27,230 | $19,450 | $31,050 | $31,220 |
| 206 | Cleveland, OH | $27,210 | $22,260 | $29,640 | $28,970 |
| 207 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $27,160 | $23,570 | $28,930 | $30,720 |
| 208 | Chambersburg, PA | $27,140 | $19,660 | $30,850 | $28,680 |
| 209 | Scranton, PA | $26,980 | $19,050 | $30,870 | $28,840 |
| 210 | Manhattan, KS | $26,730 | $23,670 | $28,230 | $29,650 |
| 211 | Terre Haute, IN | $26,310 | $18,840 | $29,990 | $29,970 |
| 212 | Lubbock, TX | $26,270 | $22,090 | $28,330 | $28,770 |
| 213 | Elkhart, IN | $26,210 | $20,030 | $29,270 | $29,020 |
| 214 | San Angelo, TX | $26,040 | $21,570 | $28,230 | $28,170 |
| 215 | Huntsville, AL | $26,020 | $21,880 | $28,060 | $27,960 |
| 216 | Birmingham, AL | $25,960 | $21,800 | $28,000 | $28,330 |
| 217 | Wichita Falls, TX | $25,940 | $22,130 | $27,810 | $28,980 |
| 218 | Monroe, LA | $25,880 | $19,320 | $29,100 | $30,960 |
| 219 | Amarillo, TX | $25,850 | $21,690 | $27,910 | $28,150 |
| 220 | Indianapolis, IN | $25,790 | $21,440 | $27,960 | $26,950 |
| 221 | Tyler, TX | $25,460 | $21,320 | $27,520 | $27,630 |
| 222 | Daphne, AL | $25,330 | $21,110 | $27,410 | $26,750 |
| 223 | Abilene, TX | $24,980 | $21,650 | $26,600 | $27,640 |
| 224 | Longview, TX | $24,810 | $21,990 | $26,210 | $27,730 |
| 225 | El Paso, TX | $24,670 | $20,970 | $26,500 | $27,440 |
| 226 | Montgomery, AL | $24,650 | $20,820 | $26,560 | $27,490 |
| 227 | Warner Robins, GA | $24,630 | $19,300 | $27,250 | $26,260 |
| 228 | Auburn, AL | $24,590 | $20,430 | $26,640 | $27,960 |
| 229 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $24,460 | $20,720 | $26,290 | $27,880 |
| 230 | Dothan, AL | $24,440 | $20,260 | $26,500 | $29,150 |
| 231 | York, PA | $24,400 | $17,200 | $27,960 | $25,420 |
| 232 | Florence, AL | $24,360 | $20,240 | $26,400 | $28,720 |
| 233 | Erie, PA | $23,400 | $16,160 | $26,960 | $25,730 |
| 234 | Laredo, TX | $23,380 | $20,760 | $24,690 | $26,890 |
| 235 | San Juan, PR | $22,780 | $22,170 | $23,070 | N/A |
| 236 | Pittsburgh, PA | $20,070 | $17,140 | $21,510 | $21,200 |
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Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Cook, Short Order salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays cooks the most?
Kahului, HI, where the average (mean) wage is $52,560 a year, followed by Denver, CO ($51,540), Seattle, WA ($49,570), Corvallis, OR ($48,590). The national mean is $36,120 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do cooks earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Denver, CO ($48,720 at national prices, $51,540 nominal), Kahului, HI ($48,050 at national prices, $52,560 nominal), Topeka, KS ($46,880 at national prices, $41,640 nominal).
How much do cooks make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $39,330; Los Angeles, CA: $42,430; Chicago, IL-IN: $38,980; Dallas, TX: $29,180; Houston, TX: $27,730 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do cooks earn the least?
Of the 236 metro areas with their own estimate, Pittsburgh, PA has the lowest mean wage, $20,070. At local prices that is worth $21,200.