Cooks, Short Order Salary in Reading, PA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Reading, PA

Median annual salary $21,900 -38.5% vs national
Median hourly $10.53
10th percentile $16,940
90th percentile $35,610
Employed locally 110
National median $35,620

Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power

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Cooks, Short Order
in
Reading, PA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $16,940
    25th
    $16,940
    50th (median)
    $21,900
    75th
    $31,330
    90th
    $35,610

    Reading economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.70% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $77,684 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income 28% Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 72% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Short Order

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,970
    Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,700
    Barnstable Town, MA $46,830
    Arizona $46,240
    Washington $46,010
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,010

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Short Order salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Napa, CA $39,650
    San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $38,000
    Grants Pass, OR $35,940
    Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $35,620
    Lexington Park, MD $35,230
    Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $33,700

    Related occupations in Reading, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,320
    Waiters and Waitresses$29,020
    Cooks, Restaurant$35,360
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$38,510
    Bartenders$25,050
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$35,740

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Short Order make per hour in Reading?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in Reading, PA is $10.53, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.12 or more per hour.

    Is Reading above or below average for Cooks, Short Order salaries?

    The median Cooks, Short Order salary in Reading, PA is 38.5% below the national median of $35,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Short Order in Reading?

    Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $16,940 per year in Reading, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $16,940.