What are the main factors that influence a Cook's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Cook's salary?

A Cook's salary grows with experience: a Cook (0-1 years)earns $33,859, a Cook II (1-3 years)earns $37,698, a Cook III (3-5 years)earns $42,459, a Sous Chef (5+ years)earns $55,757,

What are the highest paying states for a Cook?

Cook salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Cook roles are District of Columbia $37,238, California $37,097, Massachusetts $36,602. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Cook roles make?

Salaries for Cook level roles vary by specialization: Pastry Cook: $72,086; Cook III: $42,431; Assistant Cook/Cook: $39,185; Cook - Institution: $37,966; Cook II: $37,674.

Cook Salary in Delaware

How much does a Cook make in Delaware?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cook in Delaware is $34,060 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): $39,271
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $31,896 to $36,787
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,926

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI Onboarding

AI-Powered HR

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Cook Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$36,787	$3,066	$707	$18
Average	$34,060	$2,838	$655	$16
25th Percentile	$31,896	$2,658	$613	$15

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Cook Job Openings in Delaware

Cook

Monarch Communities® - Selbyville, DE

Cook

DelDOT - Smyrna, DE

Cook

DelDOT - Milford, DE

Cook

Senior living - Newark, DE

Search More Cook Jobs in Delaware

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 your years of experience, geographic location 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: $37,238.
California: $37,097.
Massachusetts: $36,602.

District of Columbia $37,238 California $37,097 Massachusetts $36,602 Washington $36,468 New Jersey $36,454 Alaska $36,407 Connecticut $35,943 New York $35,755

Hawaii $35,153 Rhode Island $34,870 Maryland $34,678 Minnesota $34,416 Colorado $34,315 Illinois $34,282 Oregon $34,154 Delaware $34,060

New Hampshire $34,000 Virginia $33,868 Pennsylvania $33,481 Nevada $33,286 North Dakota $33,222 Michigan $33,121 Wisconsin $33,084 Vermont $33,010

Texas $32,805 Maine $32,792 Arizona $32,771 Ohio $32,748 Georgia $32,438 Indiana $32,284 Wyoming $32,253 Utah $32,206

Iowa $32,186 Kansas $32,025 Louisiana $31,978 North Carolina $31,961 Missouri $31,954 Florida $31,823 Montana $31,752 Nebraska $31,685

Kentucky $31,648 South Carolina $31,514 Tennessee $31,429 Idaho $31,396 New Mexico $31,150 Oklahoma $31,097 Alabama $30,898 South Dakota $30,565

Arkansas $30,384 West Virginia $30,286 Mississippi $29,993

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:

Lincoln: $35,250
Little Creek: $34,924
Magnolia: $35,069

Lincoln, DE $35,250 Little Creek, DE $34,924 Magnolia, DE $35,069 Milford, DE $35,250 Marydel, DE $34,793 Millsboro, DE $35,250 Millville, DE $35,486 Milton, DE $35,250

Nassau, DE $35,250 Ocean View, DE $35,486 Rehoboth Beach, DE $35,486 Seaford, DE $34,880 Selbyville, DE $35,486 Smyrna, DE $34,752 Viola, DE $35,069 Woodside, DE $34,968

Bear, DE $34,497 Newark, DE $34,510 Claymont, DE $34,537 Delaware City, DE $34,510 Hockessin, DE $34,537 Kirkwood, DE $34,510 Middletown, DE $34,682 Montchanin, DE $34,537

New Castle, DE $34,537 Odessa, DE $34,729 Port Penn, DE $34,416 Rockland, DE $34,537 Saint Georges, DE $34,510 Townsend, DE $34,678 Winterthur, DE $34,537 Lewes, DE $35,250

Wilmington, DE $34,537 Dover, DE $34,907 Dover Afb, DE $34,988 Bethany Beach, DE $35,486 Bethel, DE $34,880 Bridgeville, DE $35,250 Camden Wyoming, DE $34,944 Cheswold, DE $34,826

Clayton, DE $34,739 Dagsboro, DE $35,486 Delmar, DE $34,880 Ellendale, DE $35,250 Felton, DE $35,250 Fenwick Island, DE $35,486 Frankford, DE $35,486 Frederica, DE $35,250

Georgetown, DE $35,250 Greenwood, DE $35,250 Harbeson, DE $35,250 Harrington, DE $35,250 Hartly, DE $34,722 Houston, DE $35,250 Kenton, DE $34,739 Laurel, DE $34,880

Yorklyn, DE $34,537

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 April 01, 2026

$31,896

Average $34,060/year

$36,787

$2,658

Average $2,838/month

$3,066

$613

Average $655/week

$707

$15

Average $16/hour

$18

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$36,787	$3,066	$707	$18
Average	$34,060	$2,838	$655	$16
25th Percentile	$31,896	$2,658	$613	$15

Salaries of jobs related to Cook

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

Get a Salary Increase

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

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

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

Cost of Living In Delaware

Cost of Living in Delaware is

1.3% Higher

than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

Explore Cost of Living Calculator

Empower Your Team

Salary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.

Find Salary.com Comp Consulting

See Salary Trends in 2025

Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.

Price Your Company Jobs and Make Pay Fair

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.

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