Salary AI Book a Demo

Cook Salary in the United States

How much does a Cook make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cook in the United States is $33,630 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $38,770
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $31,490 to $36,321
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,542
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Cook Salaries

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

How Do Cook Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Cooks. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $37,235.
  • California: $37,094.
  • Massachusetts: $36,600.

Top Paying Cities for 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: $42,418
  • San Francisco: $41,953
  • Oakland: $41,069

What Skills Can Increase a Cook's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Commitment (Mentioned in 10.31% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
  • Square (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Square in geometry, a plane figure with four equal sides and four right (90°) angles. A square is a special kind of rectangle and a special kind of parallelogram.
  • Container (Mentioned in 1% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
Skills Demand Percentage
Commitment 10.31%
Square 1.79%
Container 1%
See More Skills

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 Cook's salary.

  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Team Building: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Leadership $35,312
5%
Initiative $34,975
4%
Team Building $34,975
4%
Get Latest Data

Cook Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Cook roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Cook positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Cook as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Cook

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$50,445$24.050%

How Education impacts a Cook's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Cooks enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Cook with a No Diploma is between $34,264 and $36,129).

Cook Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Cook
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 10.9%
High School 29.7%
Associates 45.3%
Bachelors 14.1%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

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

Understanding how a 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
$31,490
Average $33,630/year
$36,321
$2,624
Average $2,803/month
$3,027
$606
Average $647/week
$698
$15
Average $16/hour
$17
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $36,321 $3,027 $698 $17
Average $33,630 $2,803 $647 $16
25th Percentile $31,490 $2,624 $606 $15

Most common benefits for Cook

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

Common company salaries for Cook

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

Find Your Next Cook Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Cook job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Cook

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Cook?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Cook roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst