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Hourly Wage for Prep Cook Salary in the United States

What is the hourly salary range of Prep Cook?

As of September 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Prep Cook in the United States is $16, which translates to an annual salary of about $33,835.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $19 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $15 to $18 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $14 per hour

Key Factors That Influence Prep Cook Salaries

A Prep Cook's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Prep Cook Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Prep Cook's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $33,126
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $33,191
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $34,035
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $35,156
  • Expert (over 8 years): $35,237
Levels Salary
Entry Level Prep Cook$33,126
Intermediate Level Prep Cook$33,191
Senior Level Prep Cook$34,035
Specialist Level Prep Cook$35,156
Expert Level Prep Cook$35,237

Top Paying Cities for Prep Cooks

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $42,676
  • San Francisco: $42,209
  • Oakland: $41,319

What Skills Can Increase a Prep Cook's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 9.79% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Foodservice (Mentioned in 3.76% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
  • Safety Standards (Mentioned in 1.74% Job Postings): Safety standards are designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 9.79%
Foodservice 3.76%
Safety Standards 1.74%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Prep Cook's salary.

  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration $36,542
8%
WFM $36,203
7%
Leadership $35,527
5%

Prep Cook Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Prep Cook salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $37,812. While startup companies pay approximate $31,985.

Prep Cook Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $31,985
Growth Stage 51~500 $33,827
Established 501~5000 $36,512
Enterprise 5000+ $37,812

Prep Cook Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Prep Cook roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Prep Cook positions in Financial Services or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Prep Cook as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Prep Cook

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$43,986$21.030%
Aerospace & Defense$42,294$20.025%
MFG Nondurable$40,602$20.020%
Healthcare$38,910$19.015%
Business Services$37,218$18.010%

How Education impacts a Prep Cook's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Prep Cook enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Prep Cook with a Bachelor's Degree is between $34,052 and $35,909.

Prep Cook Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Prep Cook
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 6.1%
High School 53.0%
Associates 30.3%
Bachelors 10.6%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%

Prep Cook Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Prep Cook's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$31,676
Average $33,835/year
$36,518
$2,640
Average $2,820/month
$3,043
$609
Average $651/week
$702
$15
Average $16/hour
$18
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $36,518 $3,043 $702 $18
Average $33,835 $2,820 $651 $16
25th Percentile $31,676 $2,640 $609 $15

Most common benefits for Prep Cook

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Prep Cook

Here are companies hiring for Prep Cook and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Prep Cook

1. What are the responsibilities of Prep Cook?

Prepares raw ingredients for use in recipes. Washes, chops, stores, and handles ingredients. Prepares portions of ingredients for workstations. May prepare sauces and garnishes or assist cook with basic recipes. Follows all applicable guidelines and regulations for food handling and safety. Typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. May require 0-1 year of general work experience.

2. What are the skills of Prep Cook

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Customer Service: Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.

2.)

Foodservice: The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.

3.)

Safety Standards: Safety standards are designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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