Daycare Cook Salary in the United States

How much does a Daycare Cook make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Daycare Cook in the United States is $27,065 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $13.

However, a Daycare Cook's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $30,759
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $24,655 to $28,999
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $22,461
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View as table View as graph 25% $24,655 10% $22,461 90% $30,759 75% $28,999 $27,065 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Daycare Cook Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $28,999 $2,417 $558 $14
Average $27,065 $2,255 $520 $13
25th Percentile $24,655 $2,055 $474 $12
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Key Factors That Influence Daycare Cook Salaries

A Daycare 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Daycare Cook Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Daycare 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): $27,165
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $27,859
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $28,210
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $28,297
  • Expert (over 8 years): $28,443
Levels Salary
Entry Level Daycare Cook$27,165
Intermediate Level Daycare Cook$27,859
Senior Level Daycare Cook$28,210
Specialist Level Daycare Cook$28,297
Expert Level Daycare Cook$28,443
$27,165 0 yr
$27,859 < 2 yrs
$28,210 2-4 yrs
$28,297 5-8 yrs
$28,443 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Daycare 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: $34,137
  • San Francisco: $33,801
  • Oakland: $33,052

What Skills Can Increase a Daycare Cook's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 12.76% 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.
  • Food Handling (Mentioned in 3.11% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
  • Packaging (Mentioned in 1.57% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 12.76%
Food Handling 3.11%
Packaging 1.57%
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 Daycare Cook's salary.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Initiative
$29,230
8%
Accountability
$29,230
8%
Leadership
$28,959
7%
Team Management
$28,959
7%
Safety Policies and Procedures
$28,959
7%
Cash Handling
$28,689
6%
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Daycare Cook Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Daycare 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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Daycare Cook

Salaries for a Daycare Cook can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $30,973 in 2023 to around $30,466 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Daycare Cook salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Daycare Cook Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$30,973
2024
$30,823
2025
$30,466
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $30,973
2024 $30,823
2025 $30,466
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Daycare Cook

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Daycare Cook

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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