Find Trade Colleges
Restaurant Cooks in Colorado
Get the information you need to know about working as a Restaurant Cook.
You’re in luck! Jobs for Restaurant Cooks in Colorado are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
-
Projected employment for Restaurant Cooks in Colorado is growing faster than average.
-
Restaurant Cooks in Colorado earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
What Major Will Prepare You For a Restaurant Cook Career?
- Personal & Culinary Services
- Culinary Arts
- General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts
- Culinary Arts/Chef Training
How Many Restaurant Cooks Work in Colorado?
There were approximately 32,910 workers employed as Restaurant Cooks in this state in 2018.
There were 31,790 Restaurant Cooks employed in this state in 2017.
That’s growth of 1,120 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 17,110 Restaurant Cooks working in it, which means Colorado has more Restaurant Cooks than average.
Job Projections for Colorado
Jobs for Restaurant Cooks in this state are growing at a rate of 32.7% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 11.8%.
Colorado Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates 6,170 annual job openings, and a total of 41,370 jobs for Colorado Restaurant Cooks in 2026.
Nationwide, the prediction is 195,300 annual jobs and 1,377,200 total jobs in 2026.
What do Restaurant Cooks Make in Colorado?
In 2018 wages for Restaurant Cooks ranged from $22,420 to $38,530 with $28,460 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $10.78 to $18.52. The median hourly rate was $13.68.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $12.55 an hour.
The hourly rate grew by $1.13.
The median salary in Colorado is higher than the nationwide median salary.
Explore Best Ranked Schools for You
Top Colorado Metros for Restaurant Cooks
The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Restaurant Cooks.
Metro | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 18,230 | $28,780 |
Colorado Springs, CO | 3,140 | $26,370 |
Boulder, CO | 2,560 | $30,570 |
Fort Collins, CO | 2,070 | $27,020 |
Greeley, CO | 840 | $25,730 |
Grand Junction, CO | 790 | $24,480 |
Pueblo, CO | 540 | $25,140 |
Top States for Restaurant Cooks Employment
The table below shows the states where most Restaurant Cooks work.
State | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
California | 166,420 | $29,130 |
Florida | 110,600 | $26,960 |
Texas | 110,440 | $24,980 |
New York | 73,340 | $28,100 |
Pennsylvania | 55,980 | $25,290 |
Illinois | 48,660 | $27,350 |
North Carolina | 47,350 | $23,630 |
Georgia | 37,770 | $23,430 |
Ohio | 37,220 | $24,730 |
Michigan | 37,160 | $24,120 |
Virginia | 33,380 | $24,930 |
Colorado | 32,910 | $28,460 |
Washington | 32,510 | $31,950 |
Massachusetts | 29,880 | $30,720 |
Missouri | 28,990 | $24,150 |
Minnesota | 28,480 | $28,810 |
Indiana | 27,890 | $23,350 |
Arizona | 25,570 | $26,950 |
Wisconsin | 24,540 | $25,150 |
South Carolina | 24,430 | $22,840 |
Below are the states where Restaurant Cooks get paid the most:
State | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|
District of Columbia | $32,580 |
Washington | $31,950 |
New Jersey | $30,870 |
Hawaii | $30,830 |
Massachusetts | $30,720 |
Vermont | $30,620 |
Rhode Island | $30,130 |
Nevada | $30,060 |
Alaska | $29,270 |
Connecticut | $29,170 |
Related Careers in Colorado
You may also be interested in the following careers:
Occupation | Colorado Employment Total |
---|---|
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 9,360 |
Cooks, Fast Food | 5,810 |
Cooks, Short Order | 1,890 |
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Image Credit: By U.S. Army Europe Images under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.