Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Tennessee
$35,260avg. a year
$16.95 an hour · 10,680 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Tennessee earn an average of $35,260 a year. That is $3,550 (9%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN at $38,680.
$35,570Median pay
$16.95Average hourly
+34%Avg. pay since 2020
#39Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Tennessee metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 10.
12,880 jobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
$38,680
$18.60 an hour
2510 jobs
Jackson, TN
$34,890
$16.77 an hour
3510 jobs
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$34,850
$16.76 an hour
4940 jobs
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$34,760
$16.71 an hour
5970 jobs
Knoxville, TN
$34,460
$16.57 an hour
61,530 jobs
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$34,410
$16.54 an hour
7150 jobs
Cleveland, TN
$33,870
$16.28 an hour
8470 jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$33,810
$16.26 an hour
9440 jobs
Johnson City, TN
$31,990
$15.38 an hour
10130 jobs
Morristown, TN
$30,340
$14.59 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 Tennessee, charted
Pay over time
Tennessee, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Tennessee cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Tennessee highlighted · tap a state
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Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Tennessee
Tennessee vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Tennessee | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| Virginia | $39,500 | $18.99 |
| North Carolina | $36,130 | $17.37 |
| Georgia | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| Missouri | $35,190 | $16.92 |
| Kentucky | $33,790 | $16.25 |
Related jobs in Tennessee
- Cooks, Restaurant$36,530
- Food Preparation Workers$30,860
- Cooks, Fast Food$29,480
- Cooks, Short Order$31,620
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$27,870
- Waiters and Waitresses$29,070
Average pay, Tennessee, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Tennessee?
The average is $35,260 a year, and the median is $35,570. That is $3,550 (9%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Tennessee?
$16.95 an hour on average; the median is $17.10.
Where in Tennessee do they earn the most?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($38,680), followed by Jackson, TN ($34,890). The lowest average among 10 metro areas with data is Morristown, TN ($30,340).
How does Tennessee rank?
Tennessee ranks #39 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.