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Cook salary in United States
How much does a Cook make in the United States?
Average base salary
$16.76
- Hour
- Day
- Week
- Month
- Year
Average $16.76
Low $11.15
High $25.21
The average salary for a cook is $16.76 per hour in the United States. 124.7k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated August 3, 2026).
What Does a Cook Do?
A cook is a hospitality industry professional who is responsible for preparing and making meals in restaurants, bars, hotels and many other venues. Cooks work together with other kitchen staff to ensure customers have healthy and tasty food to eat and receive it promptly. Additional responsibilities include:
- Preparing food by chopping, dicing, slicing, measuring and organizing
- Mixing ingredients according to recipes created by the executive chef or restaurant management
- Accommodating customer food allergies or substitution requests
- Adding garnish or decorative items to dishes
- Maintaining a clean and sanitary kitchen
- Checking food inventory and restocking items as needed
Highest paying companies for Cook in United States
Average year pay is based on job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months.Glacier Fish Company
$236,250per year
Togetherhood
$199,741per year
O'Hara Corporation
$156,000per year
Carelon
$156,000per year
Golden Alaska Seafoods
$143,000per year
Scheurer Hospital
$133,120per year
Highest paying cities for Cooks near United States
Where can a Cook earn more?
Compare salaries for Cooks in different locations
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Cook