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Institution Cook Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Institution Cooks Job Overview

Institution cooks work in the kitchens of schools, cafeterias, businesses, hospitals and other institutions. They prepare food according to predetermined menus. They must plan a balanced diet and prepare the meals as economically as possible. Some cooks may also determine the price of a meal.

Institution Cooks Schools and Degrees

Many school districts provide on-the-job training and summer workshops for cafeteria kitchen workers who wish to become chefs. Food service management companies and hotel and restaurant chains also offer paid internships and summer jobs to those starting out in the field.

The American Culinary Federation accredits more than 200 formal academic training programs and sponsors apprenticeship programs all across the country. Typical apprenticeships last 2 years and combine classroom training and work experience. Accreditation is an indication that a culinary program meets recognized standards regarding course content, facilities and quality of instruction.

Job Requirements

The American Culinary Federation certifies pastry professionals, personal chefs and culinary educators, in addition to various levels of chefs. Certification standards are based primarily on experience and formal training. Although certification is not required, it can help to prove accomplishment and lead to advancement and higher-paying positions.

Institution cooks should be efficient, quick and work well in a team. They should be creative and have an intense sense of taste and smell. Personal cleanliness is essential because most states require health certificates indicating workers are free from communicable diseases.

Nature of Work

Institutional kitchens usually have modern equipment, air conditioning and convenient work areas. Kitchens in older and smaller eating places, however, might not be so well designed. They are required to work in small kitchens against hot stoves and ovens and stand for hours at a time. Work hours can be early mornings, late evenings, holidays and weekends.

Institution Cooks Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, institution cooks held about 401,000 jobs in the U.S. This number is expected to grow by 11% in the next ten years. Employment is the highest in the following industries:

  • Community Care Facilities for the Elderly
  • Elementary and Secondary Schools
  • General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
  • Nursing Care Facilities
  • Special Food Services

The mean hourly wage for institution cooks in the US is about $10.74, while the mean annual wages are around $22,340.

Job Numbers and Growth

The official count of institution cooks in 2008 was 401,000. Workers have recently faced a very high level of unemployment. The unemployment rate for employees? About 9% recently.

Area Job Conditions

You'll see a lot of institution cooks in Hinesville (Georgia), Lawton (Oklahoma), and Weirton (West Virginia), and comparatively fewer in Jacksonville (North Carolina), Holland (Michigan), and Las Vegas (Nevada).

Wages for Workers are highest in El Centro (California), Fairbanks (Alaska), and Hanford (California), and lowest in Alexandria (Louisiana), Lake Charles (Louisiana), and Warner Robins (Georgia).

Training and Education

Employees normally have moderate-term on-the-job training before landing a job. Degrees are held by 5% of current institution cooks. Post-secondary schooling was enough for 19% of workers. Education topped out at high school for 77% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Part-time work suffices for 30% of institution cooks. Workers working on their own make up 1% of the total.

Institution Cooks by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anniston$18,000130+30%
Auburn$17,000150+59%
Birmingham$19,0001,780+41%
Decatur$17,000190+64%
Dothan$17,000240+86%
Florence$19,000290+168%
Gadsden$16,000270+292%
Huntsville$18,000670+37%
Mobile$18,000590+38%
Montgomery$18,000570+43%
Tuscaloosa$19,000370+84%

Alaska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anchorage$36,000420+12%
Fairbanks$38,00070+5%

Arizona

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Flagstaff$26,000150+27%
Kingman$23,000160+47%
Phoenix$24,0002,940-35%
Prescott$25,000320+138%
Tucson$25,000780-12%
Yuma$25,000140+7%

Arkansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Fayetteville$21,000930+100%
Fort Smith$18,000650+142%
Hot Springs$19,000270+255%
Jonesboro$16,000270+159%
Little Rock$20,0001,450+78%
Pine Bluff$17,000290+328%

California

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bakersfield$32,000660+4%
Chico$24,000230+51%
El Centro$36,000100-8%
Fresno$25,000510-36%
Hanford$34,000180+210%
Madera$32,000230+207%
Merced$27,000270+120%
Modesto$28,000280-27%
Napa$32,00050-64%
Oakland$32,0001,130-55%
Oxnard$28,000480-33%
Redding$27,000340+135%
Riverside$26,0002,590-17%
Sacramento$29,0001,780-18%
Salinas$32,000350-2%
San Diego$27,0001,900-42%
San Francisco$34,0001,500-39%
San Jose$30,0001,280-43%
San Luis Obispo$29,000200-11%
Santa Ana$29,0001,540-59%
Santa Cruz$27,000210+7%
Santa Rosa$29,000370-14%
Stockton$29,000360-29%
Vallejo$33,000340+22%
Visalia$20,000360+16%
Yuba City$29,000110+37%

Colorado

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boulder$28,000250-33%
Colorado Springs$26,000470-21%
Denver$27,0002,110-31%
Fort Collins$25,000310+12%
Grand Junction$25,000160+32%
Greeley$20,000250+52%
Pueblo$23,000180+57%

Connecticut

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bridgeport$31,000820-22%
Danbury$33,000160+3%
Hartford$31,0001,360-3%
New Haven$35,000620-7%
Norwich$26,000800+181%
Waterbury$28,000140-6%

Delaware

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Dover$30,000100-15%
Wilmington$29,000530-33%

District of Columbia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Washington$28,0003,780-33%

Florida

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Cape Coral$26,000330-33%
Deltona$24,000330-8%
Fort Lauderdale$25,0001,240-31%
Fort Walton Beach$26,000110-34%
Gainesville$22,000210-20%
Jacksonville$23,000870-41%
Lakeland$24,000320-30%
Miami$27,0001,840-24%
Naples$28,000230-16%
Ocala$24,000130-39%
Orlando$22,0001,450-43%
Palm Bay$23,000500+8%
Panama City$26,000330+119%
Pensacola$23,000230-33%
Port St Lucie$23,000230-21%
Punta Gorda$24,000130+59%
Sarasota$24,000630+1%
Sebastian$29,000130+28%
Tallahassee$22,000380+0%
Tampa$24,0001,600-46%
West Palm Beach$27,000650-50%

Georgia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$21,000340+158%
Athens$21,000170+3%
Atlanta$21,0004,580-21%
Augusta$21,000700+45%
Brunswick$17,000340+285%
Columbus$20,000610+146%
Dalton$17,0001700%
Gainesville$22,000170+11%
Hinesville$25,000230+862%
Macon$17,000320+43%
Savannah$21,000320-8%
Valdosta$18,000140+17%
Warner Robins$16,000220+109%

Hawaii

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Honolulu$32,000720-32%

Idaho

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boise$24,000960+50%
Coeur Dalene$19,000160+36%
Idaho Falls$20,00090-10%
Lewiston$23,00070+57%
Pocatello$23,00060-1%

Illinois

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bloomington$23,000350+127%
Champaign$24,000390+85%
Chicago$25,0007,690-18%
Danville$25,00060+18%
Decatur$22,000170+72%
Kankakee$22,000210+171%
Peoria$22,000660+66%
Rockford$23,000290-18%
Springfield$22,000280+20%

Indiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$19,000170+106%
Bloomington$22,000430+187%
Columbus$21,000120+36%
Elkhart$21,000350+18%
Evansville$21,000540+33%
Fort Wayne$21,000590+18%
Gary$21,000990+49%
Indianapolis$23,0002,330+7%
Kokomo$22,000170+134%
Lafayette$22,000420+152%
Michigan City$23,000170+90%
Muncie$21,000240+152%
South Bend$21,000440+40%
Terre Haute$20,000280+84%

Iowa

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ames$27,000280+258%
Cedar Rapids$22,000490+58%
Davenport$21,000550+28%
Des Moines$24,000840+7%
Dubuque$23,000210+93%
Iowa City$27,000330+110%
Sioux City$21,000350+124%
Waterloo$22,000420+120%

Kansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawrence$23,000270+184%
Topeka$22,000430+71%
Wichita$21,0001,130+55%

Kentucky

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bowling Green$21,000300+143%
Elizabethtown$22,000300+230%
Lexington$24,0001,040+81%
Louisville$22,0002,050+37%
Owensboro$21,000290+185%

Louisiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Alexandria$16,000430+234%
Baton Rouge$17,0001,960+121%
Houma$17,000530+149%
Lafayette$18,000640+91%
Lake Charles$15,000580+200%
Monroe$16,000580+235%
New Orleans$18,0001,940+57%
Shreveport$17,0001,200+192%

Maine

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bangor$25,000260+87%
Lewiston$25,000160+54%
Portland$27,000550+15%

Maryland

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Baltimore$28,0002,160-32%
Bethesda$29,000920-34%
Cumberland$20,000150+107%
Hagerstown$23,000350+57%
Salisbury$22,000120+7%

Massachusetts

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Barnstable Town$32,000220-3%
Boston$31,0002,790-34%
Brockton$33,000200+1%
Framingham$31,000230-39%
Haverhill$30,000210+23%
Lawrence$30,00080-35%
Leominster$29,000100-6%
Lowell$29,000150-46%
New Bedford$28,000150+7%
Pittsfield$29,00060-10%
Springfield$28,000600-16%
Taunton$33,00090-7%
Worcester$27,000610+4%

Michigan

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ann Arbor$28,000370-4%
Battle Creek$26,000230+124%
Bay City$21,000100+41%
Detroit$26,0001,570-9%
Flint$25,000420+33%
Grand Rapids$27,0001,080+18%
Holland$24,00080-65%
Jackson$27,000200+81%
Kalamazoo$24,000470+50%
Lansing$27,000500+10%
Monroe$24,000160+96%
Muskegon$24,000170+31%
Niles$25,000170+27%
Saginaw$26,000260+55%
Warren$26,0001,920-32%

Minnesota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Duluth$22,000730+150%
Minneapolis$28,0004,220-4%
Rochester$29,000230+11%
St Cloud$25,000270+17%

Mississippi

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Gulfport$22,000530+115%
Hattiesburg$17,000420+245%
Jackson$18,000950+57%
Pascagoula$18,000250+153%

Missouri

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Columbia$23,000220+21%
Jefferson City$20,000280+87%
Joplin$20,000140-21%
Kansas City$23,0003,270+30%
Springfield$20,000510+11%
St Joseph$19,000240+126%
St Louis$22,0003,140-5%

Montana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Billings$21,000170-5%
Great Falls$20,000100+43%
Missoula$19,000230+109%

Nebraska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lincoln$22,000450+18%
Omaha$23,0001,270+13%

Nevada

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Carson City$25,00070+30%
Las Vegas$28,000740-67%
Reno$27,000260-47%

New Hampshire

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Manchester$29,000190-20%
Nashua$26,000270-15%
Portsmouth$29,00060-50%
Rochester$27,000170+39%

New Jersey

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Atlantic City$27,000230-33%
Camden$25,0001,330+3%
Edison$30,0001,390-45%
Newark$28,0001,770-28%
Ocean City$27,000100+16%
Trenton$27,000420-17%
Vineland$29,000120-2%

New Mexico

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albuquerque$20,0001,500+60%
Farmington$21,000270+142%
Las Cruces$19,000250+89%
Santa Fe$24,000180+31%

New York

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$27,0001,000-5%
Binghamton$23,000410+70%
Buffalo$24,0001,130-13%
Elmira$28,00070-3%
Glens Falls$26,000150+34%
Ithaca$36,000180+104%
Kingston$28,000190+48%
Nassau$32,0001,980-35%
New York$31,0008,000-36%
Poughkeepsie$28,000760+34%
Rochester$26,0001,110-8%
Syracuse$26,000580-22%
Utica$26,000340+16%

North Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Asheville$22,000410-2%
Burlington$22,000120-5%
Charlotte$22,0001,550-28%
Durham$22,000600-8%
Fayetteville$21,000350+26%
Goldsboro$19,000130+68%
Greensboro$23,000570-36%
Greenville$19,000180+15%
Hickory$21,000310-18%
Jacksonville$26,00030-64%
Raleigh$24,000580-53%
Rocky Mount$20,000130+4%
Wilmington$21,000330-1%
Winston Salem$23,000320-37%

North Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bismarck$21,000230+91%
Fargo$24,000230-13%
Grand Forks$23,000180+77%

Ohio

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Akron$26,0001,250+54%
Canton$24,000780+92%
Cincinnati$26,0004,410+74%
Cleveland$27,0004,030+55%
Columbus$28,0003,010+32%
Dayton$26,0001,390+48%
Lima$24,000300+170%
Mansfield$23,000260+136%
Sandusky$27,000200+179%
Springfield$25,000280+182%
Toledo$25,0001,230+65%
Youngstown$24,0001,120+102%

Oklahoma

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawton$23,000370+389%
Oklahoma City$18,0002,400+75%
Tulsa$19,0001,750+66%

Oregon

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bend$24,000140-6%
Corvallis$24,000130+109%
Eugene$24,000510+48%
Medford$24,000280+49%
Portland$26,0002,440-4%
Salem$23,000490+41%

Pennsylvania

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Allentown$24,000910+12%
Altoona$23,000250+95%
Erie$23,000410+43%
Harrisburg$24,000650-14%
Johnstown$23,000160+32%
Lancaster$25,000620+11%
Lebanon$28,000150+55%
Philadelphia$27,0005,410+17%
Pittsburgh$23,0003,380+21%
Reading$24,000470+23%
Scranton$23,000820+34%
State College$24,000160+33%
Williamsport$23,000150+40%
York$24,000430+2%

Rhode Island

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Providence$31,0001,210-12%

South Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$18,000270+108%
Charleston$19,000760+9%
Columbia$20,0001,290+53%
Florence$17,000380+104%
Myrtle Beach$20,000610+125%
Spartanburg$21,0002800%
Sumter$17,000160+125%

South Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Rapid City$24,000190+40%
Sioux Falls$23,000570+79%

Tennessee

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Chattanooga$20,000630+14%
Clarksville$22,000360+117%
Cleveland$19,000300+315%
Jackson$18,000490+298%
Kingsport$19,000430+65%
Knoxville$22,0001,240+54%
Memphis$20,0001,630+8%
Morristown$17,000360+267%
Nashville$20,0003,390+82%

Texas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Abilene$17,000290+116%
Amarillo$19,000430+91%
Austin$23,0001,280-31%
Beaumont$20,000600+64%
Brownsville$19,000460+63%
College Station$18,000180+6%
Corpus Christi$19,000440+7%
Dallas$22,0003,460-33%
El Paso$20,000710+13%
Fort Worth$20,0002,120+1%
Houston$21,0003,940-38%
Killeen$19,000350+29%
Laredo$18,000250+36%
Longview$17,000240+15%
Lubbock$20,000330+19%
Mcallen$20,000900+74%
Midland$20,000290+102%
Odessa$19,000110-9%
San Angelo$19,000100+19%
San Antonio$20,0001,910-7%
Sherman$16,000270+233%
Texarkana$18,000130+12%
Tyler$19,000170-16%
Victoria$17,000180+85%
Waco$18,000340+57%
Wichita Falls$18,000190+54%

Utah

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ogden$21,000780+66%
Provo$21,000820+113%
Salt Lake City$24,0001,500-1%
St George$23,000150+47%

Vermont

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Burlington$27,000420+68%

Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Blacksburg$21,000180+37%
Charlottesville$21,000250+20%
Danville$22,00080+13%
Harrisonburg$23,000120+4%
Lynchburg$22,000240+6%
Richmond$23,0001,070-26%
Roanoke$23,000300-18%
Virginia Beach$26,0001,770-4%
Winchester$20,000180+62%

Washington

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bellingham$25,000200+14%
Bremerton$30,000240+31%
Kennewick$25,000170-15%
Longview$28,00090+36%
Mount Vernon$25,000220+136%
Olympia$26,000290+39%
Seattle$30,0002,430-31%
Spokane$25,000630+28%
Tacoma$30,000850+32%
Wenatchee$26,000180+119%
Yakima$26,000240+36%

West Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Charleston$19,000720+115%
Huntington$21,000680+164%
Morgantown$20,000210+116%
Parkersburg$20,000350+131%
Weirton$19,000380+337%
Wheeling$20,000340+148%

Wisconsin

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Appleton$25,000280+8%
Eau Claire$24,000410+143%
Fond$24,000120+32%
Green Bay$26,000440+13%
Janesville$23,000290+106%
La Crosse$23,000420+181%
Madison$26,000830+4%
Milwaukee$25,0001,700-18%
Oshkosh$26,000170-9%
Racine$22,000250+47%
Sheboygan$25,000160+31%
Wausau$22,000170+16%

Wyoming

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Casper$24,000130+67%
Cheyenne$22,000250+178%

Thanks to CityTownInfo.com for this institution cook schools and jobs info.

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