Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Scranton, PA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Median annual salary $35,860 -1.6% vs national
Median hourly $17.24
10th percentile $28,750
90th percentile $43,910
Employed locally 1,040
National median $36,450

Compare Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary & buying power

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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,750
    25th
    $30,250
    50th (median)
    $35,860
    75th
    $38,030
    90th
    $43,910

    Scranton economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $63,656 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary vs area income 56% Median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary is 44% 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
    Napa, CA $47,910
    San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $43,600
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $43,200
    Grants Pass, OR $39,780
    Lexington Park, MD $39,380
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $39,070

    Related occupations in Scranton, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,770
    Waiters and Waitresses $28,790
    Cooks, Restaurant $34,040
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,390
    Bartenders $27,820
    Food Preparation Workers $28,220

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Scranton, PA is $17.24, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.15 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Scranton, PA is 1.6% below 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 Scranton?

    Entry-level Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (10th percentile) earn around $28,750 per year in Scranton, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $30,250.