How much does a cook make?
Answer: A typical cook in the United States makes $37,690 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 19,000 people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Cook pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $27,040 | $37,690 | $51,140 | about 19,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $42,860 | about 4,000 |
| Arizona | $41,740 | about 550 |
| Florida | $39,520 | about 710 |
| Tennessee | $36,440 | about 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,220 | about 660 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, cooking skill, food-safety certificates, and harder or specialized tasks can affect a cook’s pay. Employer type and location matter too: upscale hotels or restaurants and major city or resort areas often pay more. Hours and shifts affect how much work is available.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a cook do?
All cooks not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
A cook checks ingredients, measures and mixes them, then grills, fries, or steams food at a kitchen station. During a rush, cooks coordinate with coworkers to finish orders, keep food safe, and clean work areas and tools.
How to get this job
In the U.S., no special schooling is required; many start as kitchen helpers and learn on the job. Some choose culinary school or an apprenticeship; federal law permits limited food-prep jobs from age 14, with strict limits on hours and cooking.
Did you know?
U.S. federal law lets some 14- and 15-year-olds do limited cooking, but they cannot bake or cook over an open flame.
Earn more in the same field
Food Preparation and Serving jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/cooks.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/58-child-labor-cooking-baking
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/35-2019.00
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY