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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria: Career Overview
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
What Do Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Perform?
The core tasks performed by cooks, institution and cafeteria span:
- Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
- Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
- Rotate and store food supplies.
- Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
- Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
- Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
- Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
- Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals.
What Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Need to Know
Effective cooks, institution and cafeteria combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Boarding House Cook
- Cafeteria Cook
- Camp Cook
- Cook
- Culinary Specialist
- Dietary Aide
- Dietary Cook
- Dinner Cook
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 395,074 cooks, institution and cafeteria working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +0.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $30,453 |
| Hourly median | $14.64 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $24,252 |
| 75th percentile | $36,655 |
| 90th percentile | $42,856 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $48,260 |
| Hawaii | $47,250 |
| Alaska | $46,900 |
| Massachusetts | $46,280 |
| Connecticut | $45,870 |
| California | $45,680 |
| District of Columbia | $45,600 |
| Rhode Island | $45,450 |
| New Hampshire | $45,280 |
| New York | $45,160 |
| New Jersey | $44,050 |
| Delaware | $43,490 |
| Minnesota | $42,180 |
| Oregon | $41,870 |
| Vermont | $41,020 |
| Colorado | $40,890 |
| Maine | $39,810 |
| Arizona | $39,470 |
| North Dakota | $39,060 |
| Maryland | $38,900 |
| Nevada | $38,550 |
| Wisconsin | $37,840 |
| Utah | $37,740 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,830 |
| Montana | $36,690 |
| Illinois | $36,430 |
| Virginia | $36,260 |
| Ohio | $36,250 |
| Michigan | $35,870 |
| Wyoming | $35,650 |
| Florida | $35,640 |
| Nebraska | $35,630 |
| South Dakota | $35,360 |
| Indiana | $35,080 |
| Georgia | $34,960 |
| North Carolina | $34,590 |
| Iowa | $34,560 |
| New Mexico | $34,240 |
| Idaho | $33,880 |
| Guam | $33,640 |
| Texas | $32,780 |
| Tennessee | $31,910 |
| South Carolina | $31,730 |
| Kansas | $30,920 |
| Missouri | $30,920 |
| Kentucky | $30,770 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,940 |
| Arkansas | $29,700 |
| West Virginia | $28,790 |
| Oklahoma | $28,710 |
| Alabama | $26,780 |
| Louisiana | $26,410 |
| Mississippi | $25,830 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,380 |
Where Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Earn the Most
Earnings for cooks, institution and cafeteria vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $45,520 | 10.7% | 0.75 |
| New England | $44,851 | 3.9% | 0.87 |
| Middle Atlantic | $41,007 | 12.2% | 0.97 |
| Rocky Mountains | $38,145 | 5.0% | 1.29 |
| Great Lakes | $36,257 | 17.8% | 1.28 |
| Plains States | $34,529 | 10.2% | 1.60 |
| Southwest | $32,843 | 12.5% | 1.20 |
| Southeast | $32,157 | 26.0% | 1.23 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $54,840 | 210 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $50,290 | 5,740 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $49,850 | 180 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $48,940 | 1,880 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $48,050 | 250 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $48,000 | 250 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | CA | $47,920 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $47,920 | 4,040 |
Top Industries Employing Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Most cooks, institution and cafeteria work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 172,560 | $37,280 |
| Educational Services | 144,720 | $34,010 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 86,900 | $37,560 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 6,300 | $35,010 |
| Retail Trade | 6,200 | $29,410 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3,600 | $36,880 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3,520 | $36,210 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1,590 | $38,880 |
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria work in the following industries:
Software Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for cooks, institution and cafeteria tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Education and Training
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Food Service Managers (Primary-Long)
- Dietetic Technicians (Supplemental)
- Chefs and Head Cooks (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (Primary-Long)
- Cooks, Fast Food (Primary-Long)
- Cooks, Private Household (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Restaurant (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Short Order (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Future cooks, institution and cafeteria typically earn programs in:
Personal and Culinary Services
3 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 35-2012.00 (Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria).
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