Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Cooks, all other (35-2019) work in a variety of food-preparation roles that do not fall into more narrowly defined cooking categories. This occupation has national employment of 24,000 workers and a national median annual salary of $36,210. Projected employment growth of 5.5%, combined with 4,000 annual openings, indicates that positions should continue to become available over time. The role draws on both physical and interpersonal strengths, including physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, customer service, and interpersonal abilities. It can also involve leadership, project management, and attention to detail. Creativity and innovation are highlighted among the top skills, suggesting room to bring original ideas to food preparation and kitchen work. With no formal educational credential typically required, this career can be accessible to people entering the workforce or changing careers, while still offering room to build skill depth and pursue opportunities in different locations across the country.
The national median annual salary for cooks, all other is $36,210. Pay can vary by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington reports the highest median salary at $52,510, followed by Colorado at $43,490, New York at $43,000, and California at $42,860. Virginia’s median salary of $35,810 sits close to the national figure. At the metro level, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has the highest listed median salary at $53,910, with Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the lower end at $31,880. Other metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA list median salaries in the low $40,000s. These differences show that earnings can change significantly by region, giving workers room to weigh compensation when considering where to pursue opportunities as a cook in this broad category.
Cooks, all other have national employment of 24,000 and projected employment growth of 5.5%. This same 5.5% growth rate appears across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a consistent outlook in the locations listed. With 4,000 annual openings nationwide, there is a steady flow of job opportunities from new positions and turnover. States such as California, New York, Colorado, Washington, and Virginia all combine this projected growth with varying levels of employment, suggesting multiple regions where demand is expected to continue. Metro areas like New York-Newark-Jersey City, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue also reflect the 5.5% growth projection. For individuals exploring related paths, similar occupations include cooks, short order; cooks, restaurant; shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks; bakers; and helpers–roofers, which can provide alternative directions if local conditions or preferences change.
Location makes a clear difference for cooks, all other in terms of both opportunity scores and pay. Among states, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $42,860, and employment of 3,990. New York follows with an opportunity score of 65.78, median salary of $43,000, and employment of 1,090. Colorado, Washington, and Virginia all show the same 5.5% growth rate but differ in pay and employment levels, with Washington standing out for a median salary of $52,510 despite relatively low employment of 140. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has the highest opportunity score at 77.27 with 830 employed and a median salary of $42,630. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA both offer sizable employment (1,120 and 1,040) with mid-$40,000 and high-$30,000 salaries, respectively. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA combines a smaller employment base of 80 with the highest listed metro salary at $53,910, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV offers moderate employment and a lower median salary of $31,880.
For cooks, all other, the typical education requirement is no formal educational credential. This makes the field accessible to individuals who want to enter the workforce without completing a specific degree or program. Success in this occupation instead centers on developing a mix of physical, technical, and interpersonal skills. Physical strength and stamina and fine motor skills support hands-on work. Customer service and interpersonal skills help in interacting with others on the job. Project management and leadership indicate that some roles may involve coordinating tasks and guiding others. Mechanical skills and mathematics can support more technical aspects of the work, while being detail oriented helps maintain consistency and accuracy. Creativity and innovation are also highlighted, suggesting that original thinking can be valuable. Together, these skills form a broad competency profile that individuals can build through experience, training on the job, and progressive responsibility rather than formal schooling.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
