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

A Cafeteria Cook's salary grows with experience: starting around $36,136 for beginners, reaching about $36,818 at mid-level, and approach $39,115 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Cafeteria Cook?

Cafeteria Cook salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Cafeteria Cook roles are District of Columbia $42,458, California $42,297, Massachusetts $41,733. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Cafeteria Cook roles make?

Salaries for Cafeteria Cook level roles vary by specialization: Cafeteria Supervisor: $83,650; Cafeteria Monitor: $38,053; Cook: $33,632; Cafeteria Aide: $32,384; Cafeteria Worker: $31,355.

How do different companies affect a Cafeteria Cook's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Cafeteria Cook roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Cafeteria Cook Salary in the United States

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

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cafeteria Cook in the United States is $38,347 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $47,157
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $34,601 to $42,958
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,191

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Cafeteria Cook Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$42,958	$3,580	$826	$21
Average	$38,347	$3,196	$737	$18
25th Percentile	$34,601	$2,883	$665	$17

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Key Factors That Influence Cafeteria Cook Salaries

A Cafeteria 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 Cafeteria Cook Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Cafeteria 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): $36,136
Early Career (1-2 years): $36,249
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $36,818
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $37,834
Expert (over 8 years): $39,115

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Cafeteria Cook	$36,136
Intermediate Level Cafeteria Cook	$36,249
Senior Level Cafeteria Cook	$36,818
Specialist Level Cafeteria Cook	$37,834
Expert Level Cafeteria Cook	$39,115

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Cafeteria 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 Cafeteria Cooks. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $42,458.
California: $42,297.
Massachusetts: $41,733.

District of Columbia $42,458

California $42,297

Massachusetts $41,733

Washington $41,579

New Jersey $41,564

Alaska $41,510

Connecticut $40,981

New York $40,766

Hawaii $40,080

Rhode Island $39,758

Maryland $39,539

Minnesota $39,240

Colorado $39,125

Illinois $39,087

Oregon $38,941

Delaware $38,834

New Hampshire $38,766

Virginia $38,615

Pennsylvania $38,174

Nevada $37,952

North Dakota $37,879

Michigan $37,764

Wisconsin $37,722

Vermont $37,637

Texas $37,403

Maine $37,388

Arizona $37,365

Ohio $37,338

Georgia $36,985

Indiana $36,809

Wyoming $36,775

Utah $36,721

Iowa $36,698

Kansas $36,514

Louisiana $36,460

North Carolina $36,441

Missouri $36,433

Florida $36,284

Montana $36,203

Nebraska $36,127

Kentucky $36,084

South Carolina $35,931

Tennessee $35,835

Idaho $35,797

New Mexico $35,517

Oklahoma $35,455

Alabama $35,229

South Dakota $34,850

Arkansas $34,642

West Virginia $34,531

Mississippi $34,198

Top Paying Cities for Cafeteria 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: $48,367
San Francisco: $47,891
Oakland: $46,829

San Jose, CA $48,367

San Francisco, CA $47,891

Oakland, CA $46,829

New York, NY $44,440

Queens Village, NY $44,153

Paramus, NJ $43,846

Passaic, NJ $43,807

Bergenfield, NJ $43,769

Stamford, CT $43,712

Huntington, NY $43,673

Newark, NJ $43,424

Bridgeport, CT $43,347

New Brunswick, NJ $43,221

Vallejo, CA $43,140

Middlesex, NJ $43,117

Somerset, NJ $43,083

Petaluma, CA $42,994

Santa Cruz, CA $42,845

Boston, MA $42,768

Monterey, CA $42,576

Fairbanks, AK $42,550

Los Angeles, CA $42,477

Washington, DC $42,458

Seattle, WA $42,389

Santa Rosa, CA $42,381

Juneau, AK $42,270

Orange, CA $42,143

Anchorage, AK $42,074

Anaheim, CA $42,047

Santa Ana, CA $41,990

Nassau, NY $41,967

Long Beach, CA $41,951

Danbury, CT $41,940

Santa Maria, CA $41,810

Everett, WA $41,802

Bremerton, WA $41,614

Trenton, NJ $41,541

Sacramento, CA $41,526

San Diego, CA $41,507

Brockton, MA $41,491

Tacoma, WA $41,476

Santa Barbara, CA $41,422

Lowell, MA $41,269

New Suffolk, NY $41,253

Nashua, NH $41,207

Lompoc, CA $41,146

Ventura, CA $41,108

Stockton, CA $41,096

New Haven, CT $41,020

Atlantic City, NJ $40,920

Hartford, CT $40,836

Modesto, CA $40,816

Poughkeepsie, NY $40,732

New Britain, CT $40,713

Olympia, WA $40,659

Kennewick, WA $40,659

New London, CT $40,651

Norwich, CT $40,640

Lawrence, MA $40,621

Bakersfield, CA $40,513

Riverside, CA $40,460

New Bedford, MA $40,460

Richland, WA $40,421

Portsmouth, NH $40,391

Vineland, NJ $40,383

San Bernardino, CA $40,352

Boulder, CO $40,245

Worcester, MA $40,214

Portland, OR $40,180

Saint Paul, MN $40,134

Minneapolis, MN $40,134

Philadelphia, PA $40,080

Honolulu, HI $39,877

Springfield, MA $39,743

Providence, RI $39,739

Chicago, IL $39,628

Bellingham, WA $39,582

Baltimore, MD $39,539

Chico, CA $39,444

Wilmington, DE $39,378

Pittsfield, MA $39,340

Manchester, NH $39,267

Spokane, WA $39,098

Denver, CO $39,095

Albany, NY $38,914

Troy, NY $38,899

Schenectady, NY $38,818

Burlington, VT $38,734

Portland, ME $38,600

Salem, OR $38,569

Yakima, WA $38,562

Ann Arbor, MI $38,550

Rochester, MN $38,443

Fresno, CA $38,423

Reno, NV $38,423

Milwaukee, WI $38,389

Detroit, MI $38,351

Allentown, PA $38,339

Carson City, NV $38,335

Houston, TX $38,278

Colorado Springs, CO $38,274

Syracuse, NY $38,255

Eugene, OR $38,182

Bismarck, ND $38,136

Gary, IN $38,136

Galveston, TX $38,136

Springfield, OR $38,105

Medford, OR $38,013

Fort Collins, CO $37,998

Austin, TX $37,967

Mesa, AZ $37,887

Phoenix, AZ $37,879

Dallas, TX $37,867

Reading, PA $37,844

Saint Cloud, MN $37,829

Concord, NH $37,795

Madison, WI $37,779

Utica, NY $37,676

Raleigh, NC $37,645

Las Vegas, NV $37,641

Rochester, NY $37,614

Des Moines, IA $37,611

Atlanta, GA $37,549

Battle Creek, MI $37,538

Salt Lake City, UT $37,526

Lancaster, PA $37,469

Champaign, IL $37,461

Harrisburg, PA $37,415

Durham, NC $37,380

Kansas City, MO $37,377

Kansas City, KS $37,369

Fort Worth, TX $37,365

Boca Raton, FL $37,350

Cleveland, OH $37,346

Columbus, OH $37,338

Pittsburgh, PA $37,334

Richmond, VA $37,319

Indianapolis, IN $37,311

Cincinnati, OH $37,262

Petersburg, VA $37,204

Billings, MT $37,120

Lansing, MI $37,120

Huntsville, AL $37,120

Lebanon, PA $37,116

Dayton, OH $37,112

Pueblo, CO $37,112

Appleton, WI $37,101

Buffalo, NY $37,085

Racine, WI $37,066

Charlotte, NC $37,062

Saint Louis, MO $37,051

Springfield, IL $37,035

Elkhart, IN $37,028

York, PA $37,028

Gastonia, NC $37,024

Benton Harbor, MI $37,024

Beaumont, TX $37,001

Lorain, OH $36,993

Toledo, OH $36,978

Binghamton, NY $36,959

Rock Hill, SC $36,955

Rockford, IL $36,936

Fargo, ND $36,916

Elyria, OH $36,916

Flagstaff, AZ $36,890

Fort Lauderdale, FL $36,867

Miami, FL $36,844

Duluth, MN $36,782

Bangor, ME $36,732

Cedar Rapids, IA $36,690

Louisville, KY $36,671

Grand Rapids, MI $36,663

Hialeah, FL $36,660

Casper, WY $36,606

Scranton, PA $36,560

New Orleans, LA $36,548

Virginia Beach, VA $36,545

Akron, OH $36,525

Peoria, IL $36,475

Sarasota, FL $36,468

Green Bay, WI $36,441

Baton Rouge, LA $36,422

Charleston, SC $36,414

Nashville, TN $36,403

Jamestown, NY $36,395

Davenport, IA $36,395

Tucson, AZ $36,376

Cheyenne, WY $36,364

Saint Petersburg, FL $36,353

Tampa, FL $36,345

Omaha, NE $36,337

Port Arthur, TX $36,322

Evansville, IN $36,322

Bradenton, FL $36,307

Santa Fe, NM $36,238

Orlando, FL $36,199

Clearwater, FL $36,157

Canton, OH $36,077

La Crosse, WI $36,077

Grand Forks, ND $36,065

Albuquerque, NM $36,054

Tulsa, OK $36,054

Newport News, VA $36,050

High Point, NC $36,038

Ogden, UT $36,023

Corpus Christi, TX $35,992

Laramie, WY $35,969

Norfolk, VA $35,969

Rock Island, IL $35,946

Saginaw, MI $35,939

Jacksonville, FL $35,935

Salisbury, NC $35,927

Memphis, TN $35,919

Moline, IL $35,900

Fort Myers, FL $35,889

Waterloo, IA $35,839

Spartanburg, SC $35,801

Lincoln, NE $35,781

Fort Wayne, IN $35,774

Birmingham, AL $35,732

Cedar Falls, IA $35,724

Provo, UT $35,720

Springfield, OH $35,716

San Antonio, TX $35,709

Greensboro, NC $35,693

South Bend, IN $35,689

Winston Salem, NC $35,686

Boise, ID $35,674

Savannah, GA $35,647

Muskegon, MI $35,578

Lima, OH $35,532

Lake Charles, LA $35,517

Anderson, IN $35,509

Lexington, KY $35,498

Augusta, GA $35,486

Greenville, SC $35,486

Wichita, KS $35,452

Tuscaloosa, AL $35,452

Columbia, SC $35,417

Bloomington, IN $35,321

Roanoke, VA $35,298

Asheville, NC $35,248

Knoxville, TN $35,183

Shreveport, LA $35,179

Wilmington, NC $35,130

Frankfort, KY $35,057

Oklahoma City, OK $35,030

Chillicothe, OH $35,014

Longview, TX $35,011

Topeka, KS $34,999

Mobile, AL $34,942

Terre Haute, IN $34,926

Erie, PA $34,922

Altoona, PA $34,903

Melbourne, FL $34,892

Amarillo, TX $34,876

Killeen, TX $34,865

Fayetteville, AR $34,834

Sioux Falls, SD $34,807

Chattanooga, TN $34,784

Idaho Falls, ID $34,781

Gainesville, FL $34,700

Portsmouth, OH $34,681

Little Rock, AR $34,673

Lynchburg, VA $34,673

Lafayette, LA $34,658

Youngstown, OH $34,658

Temple, TX $34,642

Daytona Beach, FL $34,635

Clarksville, TN $34,631

Pensacola, FL $34,627

Hopkinsville, KY $34,512

Charleston, WV $34,508

Florence, SC $34,489

Sioux City, IA $34,466

Macon, GA $34,355

Tallahassee, FL $34,351

Fayetteville, NC $34,343

Waco, TX $34,336

Wichita Falls, TX $34,336

Pine Bluff, AR $34,320

Vincennes, IN $34,248

Lubbock, TX $34,232

Great Falls, MT $34,209

Alamogordo, NM $34,205

Abilene, TX $34,175

Rapid City, SD $34,125

Monroe, LA $34,125

Albany, GA $34,102

Huntington, WV $34,098

Jackson, MS $34,094

Greenville, MS $34,090

Parkersburg, WV $34,052

Montgomery, AL $34,044

Johnstown, PA $34,037

Springfield, MO $34,006

Biloxi, MS $33,987

Sumter, SC $33,906

Columbus, GA $33,902

Twin Falls, ID $33,879

Pascagoula, MS $33,830

Kingsport, TN $33,730

Gulfport, MS $33,718

Alexandria, LA $33,592

Fort Smith, AR $33,496

El Paso, TX $33,392

Helena, MT $33,343

Las Cruces, NM $33,220

Harlingen, TX $33,112

Pocatello, ID $33,078

Florence, AL $33,066

Brownsville, TX $33,059

Dothan, AL $32,997

Mcallen, TX $32,978

Columbus, MS $32,694

Altus, OK $32,518

Lawton, OK $32,445

Pierre, SD $32,307

What Skills Can Increase a Cafeteria Cook's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 8.91% 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.
Healthcare Services (Mentioned in 5.35% Job Postings): The improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health professionals and allied health fields.
HACCP (Mentioned in 3.61% Job Postings): HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement to manufacturing and consumption of the finished product.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	8.91%
Healthcare Services	5.35%
HACCP	3.61%

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 Cafeteria Cook's salary.

Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Time Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Assisted Living: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Coordination	$41,798	9%
Time Management	$40,648	6%
Assisted Living	$40,648	6%
Problem Solving	$40,648	6%
Coaching	$40,264	5%
Presentation	$39,881	4%

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How Education impacts a Cafeteria Cook's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Cafeteria 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 Cafeteria Cook with a No Diploma is between $39,539 and $41,869).

Cafeteria Cook Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Cafeteria Cook

No Diploma 5.2%

High School 53.5%

Associates 30.3%

Bachelors 10.0%

Masters 0.6%

Doctorate 0.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	5.2%
High School	53.5%
Associates	30.3%
Bachelors	10.0%
Masters	0.6%
Doctorate	0.3%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Cafeteria 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 March 01, 2026

$34,601

Average $38,347/year

$42,958

$2,883

Average $3,196/month

$3,580

$665

Average $737/week

$826

$17

Average $18/hour

$21

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$42,958	$3,580	$826	$21
Average	$38,347	$3,196	$737	$18
25th Percentile	$34,601	$2,883	$665	$17

Salaries of jobs related to Cafeteria Cook

Salary Trends for Cafeteria Cook

Salaries for a Cafeteria Cook can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $39,665 in 2023 to around $39,206 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Cafeteria Cook salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Cafeteria Cook Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$39,665

2024

$39,438

2025

$39,206

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$39,665
2024	$39,438
2025	$39,206
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Cafeteria Cook

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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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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