Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Maryland
$42,750avg. a year
$20.55 an hour · 3,370 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Maryland earn an average of $42,750 a year. That is $3,940 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Salisbury, MD at $46,120.
$41,380Median pay
$20.55Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
#17Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Maryland metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 6.
1100 jobs
Salisbury, MD
$46,120
$22.17 an hour
25,670 jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$44,710
$21.50 an hour
370 jobs
Lexington Park, MD
$41,710
$20.05 an hour
41,660 jobs
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
$41,670
$20.04 an hour
59,810 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$39,980
$19.22 an hour
6370 jobs
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
$36,370
$17.49 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 Maryland, charted
Pay over time
Maryland, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Maryland cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Maryland highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Maryland
Maryland vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Maryland | $42,750 | $20.55 |
| District of Columbia | $45,560 | $21.90 |
| Delaware | $42,720 | $20.54 |
| Virginia | $39,500 | $18.99 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,950 | $17.76 |
| West Virginia | $31,470 | $15.13 |
Related jobs in Maryland
Average pay, Maryland, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Maryland?
The average is $42,750 a year, and the median is $41,380. That is $3,940 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Maryland?
$20.55 an hour on average; the median is $19.89.
Where in Maryland do they earn the most?
Salisbury, MD ($46,120), followed by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($44,710). The lowest average among 6 metro areas with data is Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV ($36,370).
How does Maryland rank?
Maryland ranks #17 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.