Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Connecticut
$46,320avg. a year
$22.27 an hour · 4,500 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Connecticut earn an average of $46,320 a year. That is $7,510 (19%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT at $48,510.
$46,120Median pay
$22.27Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
#8Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Connecticut metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 5.
11,100 jobs
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT
$48,510
$23.32 an hour
2790 jobs
New Haven, CT
$46,860
$22.53 an hour
31,460 jobs
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
$46,320
$22.27 an hour
4400 jobs
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT
$44,030
$21.17 an hour
5440 jobs
Waterbury-Shelton, CT
$43,490
$20.91 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 Connecticut, charted
Pay over time
Connecticut, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Connecticut cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Connecticut highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Connecticut
Connecticut vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Connecticut | $46,320 | $22.27 |
| Massachusetts | $48,750 | $23.44 |
| New York | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Rhode Island | $46,620 | $22.41 |
Related jobs in Connecticut
- Cooks, Restaurant$42,110
- Food Preparation Workers$39,290
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$36,330
- Waiters and Waitresses$46,220
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$55,720
- Bartenders$51,020
Average pay, Connecticut, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Connecticut?
The average is $46,320 a year, and the median is $46,120. That is $7,510 (19%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Connecticut?
$22.27 an hour on average; the median is $22.17.
Where in Connecticut do they earn the most?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT ($48,510), followed by New Haven, CT ($46,860). The lowest average among 5 metro areas with data is Waterbury-Shelton, CT ($43,490).
How does Connecticut rank?
Connecticut ranks #8 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.