Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Virginia Beach, VA-NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

Median annual salary $37,190 +2% vs national
Median hourly $17.88
10th percentile $29,120
90th percentile $50,860
Employed locally 2,320
National median $36,450

Compare Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Virginia Beach, VA-NC stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
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Virginia Beach, VA-NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $29,120
    25th
    $32,240
    50th (median)
    $37,190
    75th
    $43,930
    90th
    $50,860

    Virginia Beach economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,533 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary vs area income 46% Median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary is 54% 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $48,940
    Vallejo, CA $45,720
    North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $45,270
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $44,760
    Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $43,850
    Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $42,430

    Related occupations in Virginia Beach, VA-NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,960
    Waiters and Waitresses $36,910
    Cooks, Restaurant $35,530
    Cooks, Fast Food $27,150
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $44,290
    Food Preparation Workers $31,150

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Virginia Beach, VA-NC is $17.88, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $25.74 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Virginia Beach, VA-NC is 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 Virginia Beach?

    Entry-level Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (10th percentile) earn around $29,120 per year in Virginia Beach, VA-NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $32,240.