Cooks, All Other Salary
Cooks, All Others in Maryland make a median of $32,150 a year, or about $15.46 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $32,554 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 80.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Maryland?
About cooks, all others
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What this looks like in Maryland
Pay for cooks, all other in Maryland runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 81.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cooks, all others.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level cooks, all others (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, All Other salary by metro in Maryland
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $40K | +24% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track cooks, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 81.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, all others in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, all others typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 96% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooks, all other a high-paying job in Maryland?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $32K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for cooks, all others?
Maryland pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, all others make in Maryland?
The median is $32,150 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced cooks, all others can clear $46,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,210/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 81.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cooks, all other salary go in Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, all other salary is worth about $32,554 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, all others get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.