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Cafeteria Cook Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Cafeteria Cook make? The median Cafeteria Cook salary in the US is about $38,004 per year (roughly $18.00 an hour), across 441,040 jobs (Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $25,490 in Louisiana to $49,670 in Washington. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Cafeteria Cook salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Washington | $49,670 | 9,780 |
| Alaska | $48,580 | 1,430 |
| Massachusetts | $47,790 | 7,430 |
| Hawaii | $47,770 | 1,570 |
| Rhode Island | $46,570 | 1,190 |
| California | $46,390 | 31,660 |
| Vermont | $46,370 | 1,330 |
| Connecticut | $46,120 | 4,500 |
| New York | $45,880 | 17,670 |
| District of Columbia | $45,450 | 1,500 |
| New Hampshire | $45,370 | 1,720 |
| New Jersey | $44,520 | 7,490 |
| Oregon | $44,520 | 7,150 |
| Delaware | $44,080 | 2,680 |
| Maine | $43,490 | 1,790 |
| Minnesota | $43,460 | 7,890 |
| Colorado | $42,500 | 9,440 |
| Maryland | $41,380 | 3,370 |
| Arizona | $39,660 | 7,170 |
| North Dakota | $39,490 | 1,820 |
| Nevada | $39,430 | 1,650 |
| Wisconsin | $38,650 | 9,890 |
| Utah | $38,200 | 5,610 |
| Virginia | $37,890 | 11,170 |
| Illinois | $37,440 | 22,840 |
| Montana | $37,150 | 2,290 |
| Wyoming | $36,940 | 1,570 |
| Michigan | $36,870 | 13,500 |
| South Dakota | $36,730 | 2,120 |
| Ohio | $36,720 | 23,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,540 | 24,490 |
| New Mexico | $36,470 | 3,160 |
| Nebraska | $36,390 | 4,410 |
| Florida | $36,250 | 25,100 |
| North Carolina | $36,140 | 11,170 |
| Indiana | $35,980 | 11,130 |
| Iowa | $35,810 | 8,860 |
| Idaho | $35,600 | 3,650 |
| Tennessee | $35,570 | 10,680 |
| Texas | $35,360 | 24,740 |
| Georgia | $35,090 | 8,220 |
| South Carolina | $34,960 | 7,850 |
| Missouri | $34,900 | 13,130 |
| Kansas | $31,950 | 7,570 |
| Kentucky | $31,550 | 11,540 |
| Arkansas | $30,240 | 6,530 |
| West Virginia | $29,740 | 4,420 |
| Oklahoma | $29,270 | 10,790 |
| Mississippi | $27,390 | 6,420 |
| Alabama | $27,120 | 8,780 |
| Louisiana | $25,490 | 5,740 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Cafeteria Cook make?
- A Cafeteria Cook makes a median of about $38,004 per year in the US (roughly $18.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $25,490 in Louisiana to $49,670 in Washington depending on the state.
- What is the average Cafeteria Cook salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Cafeteria Cook salary in the US is about $38,004 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 441,040 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Cafeteria Cooks the most?
- Washington has the highest median Cafeteria Cook salary at $49,670 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Cafeteria Cooks the least?
- Louisiana has the lowest median at $25,490 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, code 35-2012). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.