Career profile · 35-2019
Cooks, All Other
All cooks not listed separately.
What the work can involve
Use the full O*NET occupation profile to investigate tasks and work activities for this role.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for cooks, all other
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 33 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $41,740 | $20.07 | 550 |
| Arkansas | $30,780 | $14.80 | 90 |
| California | $42,860 | $20.61 | 3,990 |
| Colorado | $43,490 | $20.91 | 100 |
| Connecticut | $37,190 | $17.88 | 220 |
| Florida | $39,520 | $19.00 | 710 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | $20.65 | 340 |
| Hawaii | $39,870 | $19.17 | 100 |
| Illinois | $35,940 | $17.28 | Not published |
| Indiana | $44,290 | $21.30 | 30 |
| Iowa | $26,060 | $12.53 | 210 |
| Louisiana | $28,930 | $13.91 | 430 |
| Maryland | $32,150 | $15.46 | 610 |
| Massachusetts | $69,570 | $33.45 | Not published |
| Michigan | $37,110 | $17.84 | 300 |
| Minnesota | $36,850 | $17.72 | 80 |
| Mississippi | $33,410 | $16.06 | Not published |
| Missouri | $43,990 | $21.15 | 70 |
| Montana | $42,640 | $20.50 | 200 |
| Nevada | $51,220 | $24.63 | 320 |
| New Jersey | $46,080 | $22.15 | 280 |
| New York | $43,000 | $20.67 | 1,090 |
| North Carolina | $31,120 | $14.96 | 150 |
| North Dakota | $44,190 | $21.25 | 60 |
| Ohio | $35,360 | $17.00 | 180 |
| Oregon | $42,020 | $20.20 | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,220 | $17.41 | 660 |
| Tennessee | $36,440 | $17.52 | 2,060 |
| Texas | $32,150 | $15.46 | 4,650 |
| Vermont | $41,250 | $19.83 | 160 |
| Virginia | $35,810 | $17.22 | 480 |
| Washington | $52,510 | $25.25 | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $33,760 | $16.23 | 50 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 73 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Chefs and Head Cooks→
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria→
- Cooks, Private Household→
- Cooks, Restaurant→
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers→
- Food Scientists and Technologists→
- Food Service Managers→
- Postsecondary Teachers, All Other→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 35-2019.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.