Cafeteria Cook Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Job Numbers and Growth

There are about 401,000 jobs for cafeteria cooks in the US. The unemployment ranking for this career was very high, compared to other occupations. About 9% of employees were without employment in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Cafeteria cooks are most common in Hinesville (Georgia), Lawton (Oklahoma), and Weirton (West Virginia), and least common in Jacksonville (North Carolina), Holland (Michigan), and Las Vegas (Nevada).

Workers are paid the most in El Centro (California), Fairbanks (Alaska), and Hanford (California), and the least in Alexandria (Louisiana), Lake Charles (Louisiana), and Warner Robins (Georgia).

Training and Education

Most employees have moderate-term on-the-job training. Approximately 5% of cafeteria cooks have a bachelor's degree. About 19% of workers have been to college without getting a degree. About 77% of employees obtain jobs with only a high-school diploma or GED. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Among cafeteria cooks, 30% work less than full-time. Some 1% of workers work for themselves.

Cafeteria Cooks: An Introductory Video

Cafeteria Cooks Around the Country

In the list below, each metro area is rated for the relative popularity of cafeteria cooks compared to other locations (that is, jobs per population). Single or double up or down arrows indicate the relative popularity in that location. Within each state listing, metro areas are sorted by the actual number of jobs for cafeteria cooks.

Alabama

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Birmingham	$19,000	1,780
Huntsville	$18,000	670
Mobile	$18,000	590
Montgomery	$18,000	570
Tuscaloosa	$19,000	370
Florence	$19,000	290
Gadsden	$16,000	270
Dothan	$17,000	240
Decatur	$17,000	190
Auburn	$17,000	150
Anniston	$18,000	130

Alaska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Anchorage	$36,000	420
Fairbanks	$38,000	70

Arizona

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Phoenix	$24,000	2,940
Tucson	$25,000	780
Prescott	$25,000	320
Kingman	$23,000	160
Flagstaff	$26,000	150
Yuma	$25,000	140

Arkansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Little Rock	$20,000	1,450
Fayetteville	$21,000	930
Fort Smith	$18,000	650
Pine Bluff	$17,000	290
Hot Springs	$19,000	270
Jonesboro	$16,000	270

California

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Riverside	$26,000	2,590
San Diego	$27,000	1,900
Sacramento	$29,000	1,780
Santa Ana	$29,000	1,540
San Francisco	$34,000	1,500
San Jose	$30,000	1,280
Oakland	$32,000	1,130
Bakersfield	$32,000	660
Fresno	$25,000	510
Oxnard	$28,000	480
Santa Rosa	$29,000	370
Stockton	$29,000	360
Visalia	$20,000	360
Salinas	$32,000	350
Vallejo	$33,000	340
Redding	$27,000	340
Modesto	$28,000	280
Merced	$27,000	270
Madera	$32,000	230
Chico	$24,000	230
Santa Cruz	$27,000	210
San Luis Obispo	$29,000	200
Hanford	$34,000	180
Yuba City	$29,000	110
El Centro	$36,000	100
Napa	$32,000	50

Colorado

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Denver	$27,000	2,110
Colorado Springs	$26,000	470
Fort Collins	$25,000	310
Greeley	$20,000	250
Boulder	$28,000	250
Pueblo	$23,000	180
Grand Junction	$25,000	160

Connecticut

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Hartford	$31,000	1,360
Bridgeport	$31,000	820
Norwich	$26,000	800
New Haven	$35,000	620
Danbury	$33,000	160
Waterbury	$28,000	140

Delaware

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Wilmington	$29,000	530
Dover	$30,000	100

District of Columbia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Washington	$28,000	3,780

Florida

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Miami	$27,000	1,840
Tampa	$24,000	1,600
Orlando	$22,000	1,450
Fort Lauderdale	$25,000	1,240
Jacksonville	$23,000	870
West Palm Beach	$27,000	650
Sarasota	$24,000	630
Palm Bay	$23,000	500
Tallahassee	$22,000	380
Deltona	$24,000	330
Cape Coral	$26,000	330
Panama City	$26,000	330
Lakeland	$24,000	320
Port St Lucie	$23,000	230
Pensacola	$23,000	230
Naples	$28,000	230
Gainesville	$22,000	210
Ocala	$24,000	130
Punta Gorda	$24,000	130
Sebastian	$29,000	130
Fort Walton Beach	$26,000	110

Georgia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Atlanta	$21,000	4,580
Augusta	$21,000	700
Columbus	$20,000	610
Brunswick	$17,000	340
Albany	$21,000	340
Savannah	$21,000	320
Macon	$17,000	320
Hinesville	$25,000	230
Warner Robins	$16,000	220
Gainesville	$22,000	170
Dalton	$17,000	170
Athens	$21,000	170
Valdosta	$18,000	140

Hawaii

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Honolulu	$32,000	720

Idaho

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Boise	$24,000	960
Coeur Dalene	$19,000	160
Idaho Falls	$20,000	90
Lewiston	$23,000	70
Pocatello	$23,000	60

Illinois

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Chicago	$25,000	7,690
Peoria	$22,000	660
Champaign	$24,000	390
Bloomington	$23,000	350
Rockford	$23,000	290
Springfield	$22,000	280
Kankakee	$22,000	210
Decatur	$22,000	170
Danville	$25,000	60

Indiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Indianapolis	$23,000	2,330
Gary	$21,000	990
Fort Wayne	$21,000	590
Evansville	$21,000	540
South Bend	$21,000	440
Bloomington	$22,000	430
Lafayette	$22,000	420
Elkhart	$21,000	350
Terre Haute	$20,000	280
Muncie	$21,000	240
Anderson	$19,000	170
Michigan City	$23,000	170
Kokomo	$22,000	170
Columbus	$21,000	120

Iowa

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Des Moines	$24,000	840
Davenport	$21,000	550
Cedar Rapids	$22,000	490
Waterloo	$22,000	420
Sioux City	$21,000	350
Iowa City	$27,000	330
Ames	$27,000	280
Dubuque	$23,000	210

Kansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Wichita	$21,000	1,130
Topeka	$22,000	430
Lawrence	$23,000	270

Kentucky

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Louisville	$22,000	2,050
Lexington	$24,000	1,040
Elizabethtown	$22,000	300
Bowling Green	$21,000	300
Owensboro	$21,000	290

Louisiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Baton Rouge	$17,000	1,960
New Orleans	$18,000	1,940
Shreveport	$17,000	1,200
Lafayette	$18,000	640
Lake Charles	$15,000	580
Monroe	$16,000	580
Houma	$17,000	530
Alexandria	$16,000	430

Maine

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Portland	$27,000	550
Bangor	$25,000	260
Lewiston	$25,000	160

Maryland

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Baltimore	$28,000	2,160
Bethesda	$29,000	920
Hagerstown	$23,000	350
Cumberland	$20,000	150
Salisbury	$22,000	120

Massachusetts

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Boston	$31,000	2,790
Worcester	$27,000	610
Springfield	$28,000	600
Framingham	$31,000	230
Barnstable Town	$32,000	220
Haverhill	$30,000	210
Brockton	$33,000	200
New Bedford	$28,000	150
Lowell	$29,000	150
Leominster	$29,000	100
Taunton	$33,000	90
Lawrence	$30,000	80
Pittsfield	$29,000	60

Michigan

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Warren	$26,000	1,920
Detroit	$26,000	1,570
Grand Rapids	$27,000	1,080
Lansing	$27,000	500
Kalamazoo	$24,000	470
Flint	$25,000	420
Ann Arbor	$28,000	370
Saginaw	$26,000	260
Battle Creek	$26,000	230
Jackson	$27,000	200
Muskegon	$24,000	170
Niles	$25,000	170
Monroe	$24,000	160
Bay City	$21,000	100
Holland	$24,000	80

Minnesota

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Minneapolis	$28,000	4,220
Duluth	$22,000	730
St Cloud	$25,000	270
Rochester	$29,000	230

Mississippi

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Jackson	$18,000	950
Gulfport	$22,000	530
Hattiesburg	$17,000	420
Pascagoula	$18,000	250

Missouri

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Kansas City	$23,000	3,270
St Louis	$22,000	3,140
Springfield	$20,000	510
Jefferson City	$20,000	280
St Joseph	$19,000	240
Columbia	$23,000	220
Joplin	$20,000	140

Montana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Missoula	$19,000	230
Billings	$21,000	170
Great Falls	$20,000	100

Nebraska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Omaha	$23,000	1,270
Lincoln	$22,000	450

Nevada

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Las Vegas	$28,000	740
Reno	$27,000	260
Carson City	$25,000	70

New Hampshire

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Nashua	$26,000	270
Manchester	$29,000	190
Rochester	$27,000	170
Portsmouth	$29,000	60

New Jersey

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Newark	$28,000	1,770
Edison	$30,000	1,390
Camden	$25,000	1,330
Trenton	$27,000	420
Atlantic City	$27,000	230
Vineland	$29,000	120
Ocean City	$27,000	100

New Mexico

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Albuquerque	$20,000	1,500
Farmington	$21,000	270
Las Cruces	$19,000	250
Santa Fe	$24,000	180

New York

Location	Median Pay	Workers
New York	$31,000	8,000
Nassau	$32,000	1,980
Buffalo	$24,000	1,130
Rochester	$26,000	1,110
Albany	$27,000	1,000
Poughkeepsie	$28,000	760
Syracuse	$26,000	580
Binghamton	$23,000	410
Utica	$26,000	340
Kingston	$28,000	190
Ithaca	$36,000	180
Glens Falls	$26,000	150
Elmira	$28,000	70

North Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Charlotte	$22,000	1,550
Durham	$22,000	600
Raleigh	$24,000	580
Greensboro	$23,000	570
Asheville	$22,000	410
Fayetteville	$21,000	350
Wilmington	$21,000	330
Winston Salem	$23,000	320
Hickory	$21,000	310
Greenville	$19,000	180
Goldsboro	$19,000	130
Rocky Mount	$20,000	130
Burlington	$22,000	120
Jacksonville	$26,000	30

North Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Bismarck	$21,000	230
Fargo	$24,000	230
Grand Forks	$23,000	180

Ohio

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Cincinnati	$26,000	4,410
Cleveland	$27,000	4,030
Columbus	$28,000	3,010
Dayton	$26,000	1,390
Akron	$26,000	1,250
Toledo	$25,000	1,230
Youngstown	$24,000	1,120
Canton	$24,000	780
Lima	$24,000	300
Springfield	$25,000	280
Mansfield	$23,000	260
Sandusky	$27,000	200

Oklahoma

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Oklahoma City	$18,000	2,400
Tulsa	$19,000	1,750
Lawton	$23,000	370

Oregon

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Portland	$26,000	2,440
Eugene	$24,000	510
Salem	$23,000	490
Medford	$24,000	280
Bend	$24,000	140
Corvallis	$24,000	130

Pennsylvania

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Philadelphia	$27,000	5,410
Pittsburgh	$23,000	3,380
Allentown	$24,000	910
Scranton	$23,000	820
Harrisburg	$24,000	650
Lancaster	$25,000	620
Reading	$24,000	470
York	$24,000	430
Erie	$23,000	410
Altoona	$23,000	250
Johnstown	$23,000	160
State College	$24,000	160
Williamsport	$23,000	150
Lebanon	$28,000	150

Rhode Island

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Providence	$31,000	1,210

South Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Columbia	$20,000	1,290
Charleston	$19,000	760
Myrtle Beach	$20,000	610
Florence	$17,000	380
Spartanburg	$21,000	280
Anderson	$18,000	270
Sumter	$17,000	160

South Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Sioux Falls	$23,000	570
Rapid City	$24,000	190

Tennessee

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Nashville	$20,000	3,390
Memphis	$20,000	1,630
Knoxville	$22,000	1,240
Chattanooga	$20,000	630
Jackson	$18,000	490
Kingsport	$19,000	430
Clarksville	$22,000	360
Morristown	$17,000	360
Cleveland	$19,000	300

Texas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Houston	$21,000	3,940
Dallas	$22,000	3,460
Fort Worth	$20,000	2,120
San Antonio	$20,000	1,910
Austin	$23,000	1,280
Mcallen	$20,000	900
El Paso	$20,000	710
Beaumont	$20,000	600
Brownsville	$19,000	460
Corpus Christi	$19,000	440
Amarillo	$19,000	430
Killeen	$19,000	350
Waco	$18,000	340
Lubbock	$20,000	330
Abilene	$17,000	290
Midland	$20,000	290
Sherman	$16,000	270
Laredo	$18,000	250
Longview	$17,000	240
Wichita Falls	$18,000	190
Victoria	$17,000	180
College Station	$18,000	180
Tyler	$19,000	170
Texarkana	$18,000	130
Odessa	$19,000	110
San Angelo	$19,000	100

Utah

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Salt Lake City	$24,000	1,500
Provo	$21,000	820
Ogden	$21,000	780
St George	$23,000	150

Vermont

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Burlington	$27,000	420

Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Virginia Beach	$26,000	1,770
Richmond	$23,000	1,070
Roanoke	$23,000	300
Charlottesville	$21,000	250
Lynchburg	$22,000	240
Winchester	$20,000	180
Blacksburg	$21,000	180
Harrisonburg	$23,000	120
Danville	$22,000	80

Washington

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Seattle	$30,000	2,430
Tacoma	$30,000	850
Spokane	$25,000	630
Olympia	$26,000	290
Yakima	$26,000	240
Bremerton	$30,000	240
Mount Vernon	$25,000	220
Bellingham	$25,000	200
Wenatchee	$26,000	180
Kennewick	$25,000	170
Longview	$28,000	90

West Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Charleston	$19,000	720
Huntington	$21,000	680
Weirton	$19,000	380
Parkersburg	$20,000	350
Wheeling	$20,000	340
Morgantown	$20,000	210

Wisconsin

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Milwaukee	$25,000	1,700
Madison	$26,000	830
Green Bay	$26,000	440
La Crosse	$23,000	420
Eau Claire	$24,000	410
Janesville	$23,000	290
Appleton	$25,000	280
Racine	$22,000	250
Wausau	$22,000	170
Oshkosh	$26,000	170
Sheboygan	$25,000	160
Fond	$24,000	120

Wyoming

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Cheyenne	$22,000	250
Casper	$24,000	130

Our cafeteria cook career and school information is provided by CTI Career Search.