Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Fargo, ND-MN

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Fargo, ND-MN

Median annual salary $39,810 +9.2% vs national
Median hourly $19.14
10th percentile $35,620
90th percentile $47,200
Employed locally 550
National median $36,450

Compare Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary & buying power

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
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Fargo, ND-MN
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $35,620
    25th
    $36,990
    50th (median)
    $39,810
    75th
    $44,940
    90th
    $47,200

    Fargo economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.30% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $75,523 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary vs area income 53% Median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary is 47% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $54,840
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $50,290
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $50,150
    Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $49,850
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $48,940
    Washington $48,260

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $47,920
    Rhode Island $45,450
    Kennewick-Richland, WA $45,260
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $44,760
    Portland-South Portland, ME $43,980
    Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $43,360

    Related occupations in Fargo, ND-MN

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $30,010
    Waiters and Waitresses $29,210
    Cooks, Restaurant $36,540
    Bartenders $27,180
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $43,570
    Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $35,500

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make per hour in Fargo?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Fargo, ND-MN is $19.14, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $24.01 or more per hour.

    Is Fargo above or below average for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries?

    The median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Fargo, ND-MN is 9.2% above the national median of $36,450. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Fargo?

    Entry-level Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (10th percentile) earn around $35,620 per year in Fargo, ND-MN. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,990.