Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$40,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$3,000
7.5% of base
Total target cash
$43,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,00050th$3,00075th$5,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria is a professional role within the function in the Food Preparation and Serving job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
Top skills:SpeakingService OrientationQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringMonitoringJudgment and Decision Making
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay by experience level
Entry level$29,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$33,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$39,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$46,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$51,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
69,700
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by industry
Educational Services
136,650 workers
$38,000
Elementary and Secondary Schools
126,950 workers
$37,500
Educational Services, Local Government Owned
120,260 workers
$37,000
Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
105,400 workers
$40,000
Food Services and Drinking Places
77,100 workers
$41,500
Special Food Services
72,630 workers
$42,000
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
49,350 workers
$39,000
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly
48,510 workers
$41,500
Hospitals
35,720 workers
$45,500
Social Assistance
32,630 workers
$37,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $28,650 to $37,450.
+30.7% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$29,500
Early career25th percentile
$33,500
Median50th percentile
$39,000
Experienced75th percentile
$46,500
Top earners90th percentile
$51,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
SpeakingService OrientationQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringMonitoringJudgment and Decision Making
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$40,000
2027$41,500
2028$43,000
2029$44,500
2030$46,000
2031$47,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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StateYears of experienceCurrent salary
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make?
The median market pay for a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the United States is about $40,000 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria?
Most Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay falls between about $33,500 (25th percentile) and $46,500 (75th percentile), with top earners above $51,500.
What does a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria do?
Core responsibilities include: monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety; and cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
Is pay for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $28,650 in 2020 to $37,450 in 2025, a change of +30.7% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pays 1% below the average across 18 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $40,500).
Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving
Need Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
