Cooks

SOC 35-2010

The median annual wage for Cooks is $34,320, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $34,360, and an estimated 2,667,250 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +25.9% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of +7% after inflation.

Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment

How the national median wage for Cooks has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.

National median wage trend for Cooks, nominal and inflation-adjusted, BLS OEWS.
Year	Median (nominal)	In 2023 $ (real)	Employment
2023	$34,320	$34,320	2,667,250
2022	$30,910	$32,182	2,617,340
2021	$29,120	$32,745	2,498,260
2020	$27,250	$32,082	2,184,130

Nominal change

+25.9%

Inflation (CPI)

+17.7%

Real change

+7%

Wage Distribution (National, 2023)

10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.

10th Pct

$23,400

25th Pct

$28,630

Median

$34,320

75th Pct

$38,020

90th Pct

$45,300

Related Occupations in Food Preparation & Serving

Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.

Chefs and Head Cooks $58,920 Cooks, Private Household $42,590 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,520 Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,379 Cooks, All Other $35,920 Cooks, Restaurant $35,780 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $35,320 Cooks, Short Order $34,130

All Food Preparation & Serving occupations →

Compare with another occupation All H-1B Employers