Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Colorado
$43,690avg. a year
$21.01 an hour · 9,440 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Colorado earn an average of $43,690 a year. That is $4,880 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Boulder, CO at $46,510.
$42,500Median pay
$21.01Average hourly
+35%Avg. pay since 2020
#14Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Colorado metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 7.
1820 jobs
Boulder, CO
$46,510
$22.36 an hour
24,410 jobs
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$44,810
$21.54 an hour
3420 jobs
Greeley, CO
$43,530
$20.93 an hour
4670 jobs
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
$42,470
$20.42 an hour
51,090 jobs
Colorado Springs, CO
$41,800
$20.10 an hour
6260 jobs
Grand Junction, CO
$40,030
$19.25 an hour
7380 jobs
Pueblo, CO
$39,450
$18.97 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Colorado, charted
Pay over time
Colorado, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Colorado cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Colorado highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Colorado
Colorado vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Colorado | $43,690 | $21.01 |
| Utah | $39,570 | $19.02 |
| Wyoming | $37,620 | $18.09 |
| Nebraska | $37,310 | $17.94 |
| New Mexico | $37,130 | $17.85 |
| Kansas | $32,990 | $15.86 |
Related jobs in Colorado
Average pay, Colorado, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Colorado?
The average is $43,690 a year, and the median is $42,500. That is $4,880 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Colorado?
$21.01 an hour on average; the median is $20.43.
Where in Colorado do they earn the most?
Boulder, CO ($46,510), followed by Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO ($44,810). The lowest average among 7 metro areas with data is Pueblo, CO ($39,450).
How does Colorado rank?
Colorado ranks #14 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-2012. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national cooks, institution and cafeteria page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.