How much does a Line Cook/Prep make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Line Cook/Prep in the United States is $39,858 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.
However, a Line Cook/Prep's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $48,652
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $35,856 to $44,461
Key Factors That Influence Line Cook/Prep Salaries
A Line Cook/Prep'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 Line Cook/Prep Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Line Cook/Prep'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:
How Do Line Cook/Prep 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 Line Cook/Preps. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $44,131.
California: $43,963.
Massachusetts: $43,377.
District of Columbia$44,131
California$43,963
Massachusetts$43,377
Washington$43,218
New Jersey$43,202
Alaska$43,146
Connecticut$42,596
New York$42,373
Hawaii$41,659
Rhode Island$41,325
Maryland$41,097
Minnesota$40,786
Colorado$40,667
Illinois$40,627
Oregon$40,476
Delaware$40,364
New Hampshire$40,294
Virginia$40,137
Pennsylvania$39,678
Nevada$39,447
North Dakota$39,372
Michigan$39,252
Wisconsin$39,208
Vermont$39,120
Texas$38,877
Maine$38,861
Arizona$38,837
Ohio$38,810
Georgia$38,443
Indiana$38,260
Wyoming$38,224
Utah$38,168
Iowa$38,144
Kansas$37,953
Louisiana$37,897
North Carolina$37,877
Missouri$37,869
Florida$37,713
Montana$37,630
Nebraska$37,550
Kentucky$37,506
South Carolina$37,347
Tennessee$37,247
Idaho$37,207
New Mexico$36,916
Oklahoma$36,853
Alabama$36,617
South Dakota$36,223
Arkansas$36,008
West Virginia$35,892
Mississippi$35,545
Top Paying Cities for Line Cook/Preps
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: $50,273
San Francisco: $49,722
Oakland: $48,674
San Jose, CA$50,273
San Francisco, CA$49,722
Oakland, CA$48,674
New York, NY$45,892
Paramus, NJ$45,334
Queens Village, NY$45,332
Passaic, NJ$45,294
Bergenfield, NJ$45,290
Stamford, CT$45,203
Huntington, NY$45,186
Newark, NJ$44,892
Bridgeport, CT$44,808
Vallejo, CA$44,728
New Brunswick, NJ$44,712
Petaluma, CA$44,689
Middlesex, NJ$44,613
Somerset, NJ$44,585
Santa Cruz, CA$44,533
Boston, MA$44,290
Monterey, CA$44,150
Seattle, WA$44,059
Santa Rosa, CA$44,051
Los Angeles, CA$44,039
Juneau, AK$43,935
Washington, DC$43,891
Orange, CA$43,750
Santa Ana, CA$43,644
Long Beach, CA$43,604
Anaheim, CA$43,596
Anchorage, AK$43,577
Santa Maria, CA$43,457
Everett, WA$43,449
Danbury, CT$43,309
Bremerton, WA$43,254
Tacoma, WA$43,110
New Suffolk, NY$43,109
Sacramento, CA$43,098
Santa Barbara, CA$43,054
Trenton, NJ$43,011
San Diego, CA$43,011
Brockton, MA$42,967
Fairbanks, AK$42,869
Lompoc, CA$42,767
Lowell, MA$42,735
Ventura, CA$42,728
Nashua, NH$42,720
Stockton, CA$42,716
Modesto, CA$42,425
Poughkeepsie, NY$42,337
Olympia, WA$42,261
Kennewick, WA$42,261
New Haven, CT$42,245
Lawrence, MA$42,102
Hartford, CT$42,062
Riverside, CA$42,054
New Bedford, MA$42,014
Richland, WA$42,014
Bakersfield, CA$41,958
San Bernardino, CA$41,942
New Britain, CT$41,938
Atlantic City, NJ$41,938
New London, CT$41,922
Norwich, CT$41,910
Portsmouth, NH$41,903
Boulder, CO$41,818
Portland, OR$41,763
Worcester, MA$41,759
Minneapolis, MN$41,635
Philadelphia, PA$41,580
Honolulu, HI$41,448
Saint Paul, MN$41,429
Vineland, NJ$41,420
Providence, RI$41,305
Chicago, IL$41,189
Bellingham, WA$41,141
Springfield, MA$41,109
Baltimore, MD$41,097
Chico, CA$40,998
Pittsfield, MA$40,890
Manchester, NH$40,814
Spokane, WA$40,639
Denver, CO$40,635
Albany, NY$40,448
Troy, NY$40,432
Nassau, NY$40,389
Schenectady, NY$40,348
Wilmington, DE$40,316
Burlington, VT$40,260
Salem, OR$40,244
Portland, ME$40,121
Yakima, WA$40,081
Rochester, MN$39,957
Reno, NV$39,938
Fresno, CA$39,938
Milwaukee, WI$39,902
Detroit, MI$39,862
Ann Arbor, MI$39,855
Allentown, PA$39,850
Colorado Springs, CO$39,782
Syracuse, NY$39,762
Carson City, NV$39,762
Houston, TX$39,706
Eugene, OR$39,686
Gary, IN$39,639
Springfield, OR$39,607
Bismarck, ND$39,599
Galveston, TX$39,571
Medford, OR$39,511
Fort Collins, CO$39,495
Concord, NH$39,475
Austin, TX$39,463
Mesa, AZ$39,380
Reading, PA$39,376
Phoenix, AZ$39,372
Dallas, TX$39,360
Saint Cloud, MN$39,321
Madison, WI$39,268
Utica, NY$39,160
Rochester, NY$39,097
Des Moines, IA$39,093
Raleigh, NC$39,089
Atlanta, GA$39,029
Battle Creek, MI$39,017
Salt Lake City, UT$39,005
Lancaster, PA$38,945
Harrisburg, PA$38,889
Kansas City, MO$38,849
Champaign, IL$38,841
Kansas City, KS$38,841
Fort Worth, TX$38,837
Columbus, OH$38,831
Boca Raton, FL$38,821
Pittsburgh, PA$38,806
Richmond, VA$38,790
Indianapolis, IN$38,782
Cleveland, OH$38,778
Las Vegas, NV$38,730
Cincinnati, OH$38,730
Petersburg, VA$38,670
Huntsville, AL$38,610
Lansing, MI$38,584
Lebanon, PA$38,578
Pueblo, CO$38,574
Appleton, WI$38,562
Buffalo, NY$38,546
Dayton, OH$38,535
Racine, WI$38,527
Charlotte, NC$38,523
Saint Louis, MO$38,511
York, PA$38,487
Elkhart, IN$38,487
Gastonia, NC$38,479
Billings, MT$38,470
Beaumont, TX$38,459
Lorain, OH$38,451
Benton Harbor, MI$38,443
Toledo, OH$38,435
Binghamton, NY$38,415
Rock Hill, SC$38,411
Rockford, IL$38,391
Springfield, IL$38,375
Elyria, OH$38,371
Fargo, ND$38,371
Flagstaff, AZ$38,343
Fort Lauderdale, FL$38,319
Duluth, MN$38,295
Miami, FL$38,295
Cheyenne, WY$38,267
Grand Forks, ND$38,267
Bangor, ME$38,180
Cedar Rapids, IA$38,136
Durham, NC$38,119
Louisville, KY$38,116
Grand Rapids, MI$38,108
Hialeah, FL$38,104
Casper, WY$38,048
Scranton, PA$38,000
New Orleans, LA$37,988
Virginia Beach, VA$37,984
Akron, OH$37,965
Peoria, IL$37,913
Sarasota, FL$37,905
Nashville, TN$37,877
Omaha, NE$37,877
Green Bay, WI$37,877
Baton Rouge, LA$37,857
Charleston, SC$37,849
Jamestown, NY$37,829
Davenport, IA$37,829
Tucson, AZ$37,809
Saint Petersburg, FL$37,785
Tampa, FL$37,777
Evansville, IN$37,753
Port Arthur, TX$37,753
Bradenton, FL$37,737
Santa Fe, NM$37,666
Orlando, FL$37,594
Clearwater, FL$37,582
Canton, OH$37,498
La Crosse, WI$37,498
Albuquerque, NM$37,474
Newport News, VA$37,470
High Point, NC$37,458
Ogden, UT$37,442
Corpus Christi, TX$37,411
Norfolk, VA$37,387
Laramie, WY$37,387
Rock Island, IL$37,363
Saginaw, MI$37,355
Jacksonville, FL$37,351
Salisbury, NC$37,343
Boise, ID$37,335
Moline, IL$37,315
Fort Myers, FL$37,303
Memphis, TN$37,295
Tulsa, OK$37,275
Waterloo, IA$37,251
Spartanburg, SC$37,211
Lincoln, NE$37,191
Fort Wayne, IN$37,183
Provo, UT$37,179
Cedar Falls, IA$37,132
San Antonio, TX$37,116
Greensboro, NC$37,100
South Bend, IN$37,096
Savannah, GA$37,052
Muskegon, MI$37,036
Birmingham, AL$37,032
Winston Salem, NC$37,012
Lake Charles, LA$36,916
Anderson, IN$36,908
Lexington, KY$36,896
Augusta, GA$36,884
Greenville, SC$36,884
Lima, OH$36,853
Wichita, KS$36,849
Tuscaloosa, AL$36,849
Columbia, SC$36,813
Springfield, OH$36,805
Asheville, NC$36,741
Bloomington, IN$36,713
Knoxville, TN$36,570
Shreveport, LA$36,566
Wilmington, NC$36,514
Roanoke, VA$36,514
Topeka, KS$36,442
Frankfort, KY$36,438
Oklahoma City, OK$36,410
Chillicothe, OH$36,394
Longview, TX$36,390
Melbourne, FL$36,386
Sioux Falls, SD$36,322
Mobile, AL$36,318
Terre Haute, IN$36,302
Altoona, PA$36,279
Amarillo, TX$36,251
Killeen, TX$36,239
Fayetteville, AR$36,207
Chattanooga, TN$36,195
Sioux City, IA$36,159
Idaho Falls, ID$36,151
Lynchburg, VA$36,119
Gainesville, FL$36,067
Portsmouth, OH$36,047
Little Rock, AR$36,039
Lafayette, LA$36,023
Youngstown, OH$36,023
Daytona Beach, FL$36,000
Clarksville, TN$35,996
Pensacola, FL$35,992
Temple, TX$35,989
Hopkinsville, KY$35,872
Erie, PA$35,864
Florence, SC$35,848
Charleston, WV$35,784
Great Falls, MT$35,764
Macon, GA$35,709
Tallahassee, FL$35,705
Fayetteville, NC$35,697
Waco, TX$35,689
Helena, MT$35,661
Pine Bluff, AR$35,646
Vincennes, IN$35,597
Lubbock, TX$35,581
Alamogordo, NM$35,557
Twin Falls, ID$35,521
Rapid City, SD$35,509
Jackson, MS$35,438
Huntington, WV$35,435
Greenville, MS$35,434
Parkersburg, WV$35,393
Montgomery, AL$35,386
Wichita Falls, TX$35,346
Springfield, MO$35,346
Biloxi, MS$35,326
Monroe, LA$35,286
Johnstown, PA$35,258
Sumter, SC$35,242
Columbus, GA$35,238
Pascagoula, MS$35,163
Abilene, TX$35,163
Kingsport, TN$35,059
Albany, GA$35,059
Gulfport, MS$35,047
Alexandria, LA$34,915
Fort Smith, AR$34,816
El Paso, TX$34,708
Las Cruces, NM$34,529
Harlingen, TX$34,428
Pocatello, ID$34,421
Florence, AL$34,369
Brownsville, TX$34,361
Mcallen, TX$34,278
Dothan, AL$34,222
Columbus, MS$33,985
Altus, OK$33,799
Lawton, OK$33,724
Pierre, SD$33,580
What Skills Can Increase a Line Cook/Prep's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 8.4% 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.
Food Service (Mentioned in 3.6% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
Safety Regulations (Mentioned in 1.59% Job Postings): Regulations or rules that are put in place to ensure a product, event, etc., is safe and not dangerous.
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 Line Cook/Prep's salary.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Merchandising: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Line Cook/Prep Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Line Cook/Prep roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Line Cook/Prep positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Line Cook/Prep as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Line Cook/Prep
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$51,815
$25.0
30%
Software & Networking
$49,822
$24.0
25%
Construction
$47,829
$23.0
20%
Energy & Utilities
$45,836
$22.0
15%
Business Services
$43,844
$21.0
10%
How Education impacts a Line Cook/Prep's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Line Cook/Preps 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 Line Cook/Prep with a No Diploma is between
$38,281
and $41,120).
Line Cook/Prep Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Line Cook/Prep'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$35,856
Average$39,858/year
$44,461
$2,988
Average$3,321/month
$3,705
$690
Average$766/week
$855
$17
Average$19/hour
$21
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$44,461
$3,705
$855
$21
Average
$39,858
$3,321
$766
$19
25th Percentile
$35,856
$2,988
$690
$17
Salaries of Jobs related to Line Cook/Prep
Line Manager$84,534
Line Inspector$80,086
Line Supervisor$79,906
Line Mechanic$67,547
Line Producer$61,590
Line Technician$60,114
Line Driver$51,808
Line Trainer$47,413
Line Operator$45,747
Line Maintenance$43,639
Line Cook$33,835
Salary Trends for Line Cook/Prep
Salaries for a Line Cook/Prep can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $40,853 in 2023
to around $40,380 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Line Cook/Prep salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Line Cook/Prep Over Time
$???
$40,853
$40,619
$40,380
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$40,853
2024
$40,619
2025
$40,380
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Line Cook/Prep
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Line Cook/Prep
Here are companies hiring for Line Cook/Prep and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Line Cook/Prep Job
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FAQ about Line Cook/Prep
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Line Cook/Prep?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Line Cook/Prep roles,
with salaries approximately 30% 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.
