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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

35-2014 Cooks, Restaurant

Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.


National estimates for Cooks, Restaurant
Industry profile for Cooks, Restaurant
Geographic profile for Cooks, Restaurant

National estimates for Cooks, Restaurant:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Cooks, Restaurant:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,109,650 0.9 % $ 14.20 $ 29,530 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cooks, Restaurant:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 9.66 $ 11.64 $ 13.84 $ 16.13 $ 19.16
Annual Wage (2) $ 20,100 $ 24,210 $ 28,800 $ 33,550 $ 39,840


Industry profile for Cooks, Restaurant:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Cooks, Restaurant are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Cooks, Restaurant, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Cooks, Restaurant:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 939,540 10.41 $ 14.00 $ 29,130
Traveler Accommodation 59,580 3.93 $ 16.27 $ 33,840
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 23,590 8.31 $ 13.60 $ 28,280
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 21,620 2.13 $ 15.16 $ 31,530
Special Food Services 17,310 3.10 $ 15.73 $ 32,730

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Cooks, Restaurant:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 939,540 10.41 $ 14.00 $ 29,130
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 23,590 8.31 $ 13.60 $ 28,280
Traveler Accommodation 59,580 3.93 $ 16.27 $ 33,840
Special Food Services 17,310 3.10 $ 15.73 $ 32,730
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water 300 2.67 $ 16.22 $ 33,740

Top paying industries for Cooks, Restaurant:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Food Manufacturing 50 0.02 $ 23.10 $ 48,040
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores (8) (8) $ 18.40 $ 38,270
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (8) (8) $ 17.64 $ 36,700
Grantmaking and Giving Services 160 0.11 $ 17.11 $ 35,600
Traveler Accommodation 59,580 3.93 $ 16.27 $ 33,840


Geographic profile for Cooks, Restaurant:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Cooks, Restaurant are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Cooks, Restaurant, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Cooks, Restaurant:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 137,160 8.35 1.05 $ 16.46 $ 34,230
Texas 106,950 8.84 1.11 $ 12.36 $ 25,720
Florida 100,640 11.92 1.49 $ 14.18 $ 29,500
New York 50,520 5.81 0.73 $ 16.59 $ 34,510
Pennsylvania 40,550 7.36 0.92 $ 13.25 $ 27,570




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Restaurant:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 7,870 13.71 1.72 $ 17.77 $ 36,960
Nevada 16,360 13.08 1.64 $ 15.42 $ 32,070
Florida 100,640 11.92 1.49 $ 14.18 $ 29,500
Oklahoma 18,010 11.52 1.44 $ 12.39 $ 25,780
South Carolina 22,780 11.31 1.42 $ 12.82 $ 26,660




Top paying states for Cooks, Restaurant:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 5,980 8.70 1.09 $ 17.81 $ 37,040
Hawaii 7,870 13.71 1.72 $ 17.77 $ 36,960
Washington 23,170 7.25 0.91 $ 17.21 $ 35,800
Massachusetts 21,870 6.53 0.82 $ 16.89 $ 35,120
New Jersey 14,330 3.79 0.47 $ 16.86 $ 35,070





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Cooks, Restaurant:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 51,550 8.85 1.11 $ 15.95 $ 33,180
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 44,590 5.05 0.63 $ 17.33 $ 36,050
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 30,990 7.10 0.89 $ 14.66 $ 30,490
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 30,520 8.51 1.07 $ 13.00 $ 27,030
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 27,890 11.12 1.39 $ 14.96 $ 31,120
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 26,710 9.00 1.13 $ 12.03 $ 25,010
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 21,830 9.37 1.17 $ 19.21 $ 39,950
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 20,710 9.82 1.23 $ 14.46 $ 30,070
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 20,290 7.71 0.97 $ 13.35 $ 27,770
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 19,880 6.58 0.82 $ 15.40 $ 32,030




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Restaurant:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 4,320 27.97 3.51 $ 12.91 $ 26,860
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 3,470 23.79 2.98 $ 16.00 $ 33,280
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 1,650 22.22 2.79 $ 13.82 $ 28,740
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 2,380 21.78 2.73 $ 14.53 $ 30,230
Punta Gorda, FL 980 21.14 2.65 $ 13.92 $ 28,960
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 1,320 19.67 2.47 $ 21.73 $ 45,200
Flagstaff, AZ 1,100 19.34 2.42 $ 14.62 $ 30,410
Santa Fe, NM 1,020 17.67 2.22 $ 15.12 $ 31,460
Prescott, AZ 1,090 17.58 2.20 $ 15.18 $ 31,570
Ocala, FL 1,710 16.58 2.08 $ 13.25 $ 27,560




Top paying metropolitan areas for Cooks, Restaurant:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 1,320 19.67 2.47 $ 21.73 $ 45,200
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 21,830 9.37 1.17 $ 19.21 $ 39,950
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 2,180 5.79 0.73 $ 18.96 $ 39,450
Napa, CA 810 11.71 1.47 $ 18.28 $ 38,020
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 1,100 12.04 1.51 $ 18.13 $ 37,700
Portsmouth, NH-ME 840 9.35 1.17 $ 17.96 $ 37,360
Walla Walla, WA 170 6.85 0.86 $ 17.85 $ 37,140
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 13,740 7.03 0.88 $ 17.85 $ 37,120
Salinas, CA 1,510 8.78 1.10 $ 17.70 $ 36,820
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 44,590 5.05 0.63 $ 17.33 $ 36,050

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Cooks, Restaurant:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 2,830 17.09 2.14 $ 11.65 $ 24,240
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 2,660 23.23 2.91 $ 17.40 $ 36,190
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 2,600 17.12 2.15 $ 11.55 $ 24,030
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 2,470 6.52 0.82 $ 11.28 $ 23,470
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 2,430 9.90 1.24 $ 11.23 $ 23,360

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Restaurant:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 2,660 23.23 2.91 $ 17.40 $ 36,190
South Florida nonmetropolitan area 1,670 22.68 2.84 $ 15.59 $ 32,430
Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area 1,390 20.43 2.56 $ 12.11 $ 25,200
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 1,600 17.32 2.17 $ 17.77 $ 36,970
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 2,600 17.12 2.15 $ 11.55 $ 24,030

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Cooks, Restaurant:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 1,600 17.32 2.17 $ 17.77 $ 36,970
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 2,660 23.23 2.91 $ 17.40 $ 36,190
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 1,090 9.23 1.16 $ 17.37 $ 36,130
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 1,170 12.37 1.55 $ 17.30 $ 35,980
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 460 4.58 0.57 $ 16.53 $ 34,370


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021