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BLSSalary

Cooks, Short Order Salary (2025)

Based on 138,650 employed workers · BLS OEWS May 2025

Official BLS Data
Annual Mean
$36,120
$17.37/hr
Annual Median
$35,880
$17.25/hr
Bottom 10%
$23,440
$11.27/hr
Top 10%
$46,460
$22.34/hr

Salary Percentile Breakdown

PercentileAnnual
10th Percentile
Bottom 10%
$23,440
25th Percentile
Lower quarter
$30,610
50th PercentileMedian
Median
$35,880
75th Percentile
Upper quarter
$42,450
90th Percentile
Top 10%
$46,460

Salary Distribution

Annual Salary Range

10th

$23K

25th

$31K

Median

$36K

75th

$42K

90th

$46K

Highest Paying States for Cooks, Short Order

States with highest average wages · BLS May 2025

StateAnnual Mean
Hawaii$44,930
Colorado$44,170
Washington$43,990
Rhode Island$43,410
Arizona$43,360
District of Columbia$42,780
Massachusetts$42,700
California$42,260
Connecticut$42,250
New Jersey$41,380

Geographic Salary Variation

Cooks, Short Order salaries vary significantly across the United States. The highest paying state is Hawaii at an average of $44,930 per year, while New Jersey has an average of $41,380 — a difference of $3,550. These geographic differences reflect variations in cost of living, demand, and local labor market conditions.

About Cooks, Short Order

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 138,650 workers were employed as Cooks, Short Orders in the United States as of May 2025. This occupation is classified under Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations. The annual mean wage of $36,120 reflects data from employer surveys conducted by BLS.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC Code: 35-2015

What do these percentiles mean? The 10th percentile ($23,440) represents entry-level or part-time Cooks, Short Orders, while the 90th percentile ($46,460) represents highly experienced professionals or those in high-demand locations. The median ($35,880) is the midpoint — half of all Cooks, Short Orders earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Data sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025. Public domain. Not affiliated with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.