Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Montana
$38,950avg. a year
$18.73 an hour · 2,290 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Montana earn an average of $38,950 a year. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Bozeman, MT at $44,150.
$37,150Median pay
$18.73Average hourly
+35%Avg. pay since 2020
#26Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Montana metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 5.
1280 jobs
Bozeman, MT
$44,150
$21.23 an hour
2130 jobs
Helena, MT
$39,110
$18.80 an hour
3290 jobs
Billings, MT
$39,010
$18.75 an hour
4200 jobs
Missoula, MT
$38,450
$18.49 an hour
5180 jobs
Great Falls, MT
$37,400
$17.98 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 Montana, charted
Pay over time
Montana, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Montana cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Montana highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Montana
Montana vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Montana | $38,950 | $18.73 |
| North Dakota | $41,140 | $19.78 |
| South Dakota | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| Wyoming | $37,620 | $18.09 |
| Idaho | $36,160 | $17.39 |
Related jobs in Montana
- Cooks, Restaurant$38,980
- Food Preparation Workers$33,700
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$30,120
- Waiters and Waitresses$29,180
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,280
- Bartenders$27,210
Average pay, Montana, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Montana?
The average is $38,950 a year, and the median is $37,150. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Montana?
$18.73 an hour on average; the median is $17.86.
Where in Montana do they earn the most?
Bozeman, MT ($44,150), followed by Helena, MT ($39,110). The lowest average among 5 metro areas with data is Great Falls, MT ($37,400).
How does Montana rank?
Montana ranks #26 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.