What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Entry Level Cook?

We've identified 10 cities in the United States where Entry Level Cook jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Felton, CA (27.1% above average), followed by Mercer Island, WA and Berkeley, CA. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Felton, CA $42,384 $3,532 $815 $20.38 Mercer Island, WA $40,832 $3,402 $785 $19.63 Berkeley, CA $40,823 $3,401 $785 $19.63 Redwood City, CA $40,820 $3,401 $785 $19.62 Berlin Corners, VT $40,748 $3,395 $783 $19.59 Ketchikan, AK $40,561 $3,380 $780 $19.50 Jersey City, NJ $40,305 $3,358 $775 $19.38 Aspen, CO $40,299 $3,358 $774 $19.37 Sitka, AK $40,164 $3,347 $772 $19.31 South San Francisco, CA $40,064 $3,338 $770 $19.26

Entry Level Cook

Entry Level Cook Salary

Q: How much does an Entry Level Cook make?

The average annual pay for an entry level cook in the United States is $33,340 a year — that works out to approximately $16.03 an hour. The middle 80% of Entry Level Cooks earn between $24,000 (10th percentile) and $42,500 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

Q: What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entry Level Cook Jobs in the United States?

We found several jobs related to Entry Level Cook in the United States that pay more on average. Topping the list is Haccp at $38,299 (114.9%) above Entry Level Cook. Job Title Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Haccp $71,639 $5,969 $1,377 $34.44 Wolf $40,786 $3,398 $784 $19.61 School Cook $33,537 $2,794 $644 $16.12 Production Cook $33,509 $2,792 $644 $16.11 Cook Dishwasher $32,570 $2,714 $626 $15.66

$18.5K

$33K

$46K

$33,340

/year

$16.03

/hour

Entry Level Cook Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$33,340

Columbus

Ohio

$32,203

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How much does an Entry Level Cook make?

As of Jun 16, 2026, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Cook in the United States is $33,340 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $16.03 an hour. This is the equivalent of $641/week or $2,778/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $46,000 and as low as $18,500, the majority of Entry Level Cook salaries currently range between $28,000 (25th percentile) to $37,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $42,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Entry Level Cook varies greatly (by as much as 9500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

An Entry Level Cook in your area makes on average $32,203 per year, or $1,137 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $33,340. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Entry Level Cook salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Entry Level Cook jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as an Entry Level Cook on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry Level Cook Jobs

We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Entry Level Cook job is above the national average. Topping the list is Felton, CA, , with Mercer Island, WA, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $7,483 (22.4%), and Felton, CA, furthers that trend with another $9,044 (27.1%) above the $33,340 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Entry Level Cook appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Felton, CA, and South San Francisco, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Entry Level Cook role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Felton, CA	$42,384	$3,532	$815	$20.38
Mercer Island, WA	$40,832	$3,402	$785	$19.63
Berkeley, CA	$40,823	$3,401	$785	$19.63
Redwood City, CA	$40,820	$3,401	$785	$19.62
Berlin Corners, VT	$40,748	$3,395	$783	$19.59
Ketchikan, AK	$40,561	$3,380	$780	$19.50
Jersey City, NJ	$40,305	$3,358	$775	$19.38
Aspen, CO	$40,299	$3,358	$774	$19.37
Sitka, AK	$40,164	$3,347	$772	$19.31
South San Francisco, CA	$40,064	$3,338	$770	$19.26

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entry Level Cook Jobs in the U.S.

We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Entry Level Cook category.

For example Haccp jobs pay as much as $38,299 (114.9%) more than the average Entry Level Cook salary of $33,340. If you're qualified, finding work as an Haccp may help you make more money than that of the average Entry Level Cook position.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Haccp	$71,639	$5,969	$1,377	$34.44
Wolf	$40,786	$3,398	$784	$19.61
School Cook	$33,537	$2,794	$644	$16.12
Production Cook	$33,509	$2,792	$644	$16.11
Cook Dishwasher	$32,570	$2,714	$626	$15.66

About Our Data

ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

Infographic detailing Entry Level Cook salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $33,340 per year or $16.03 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.

All Salaries Entry Level Cook Salary