Cooks, All Other Salary
Cooks, All Others in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $31,880 a year, or about $15.33 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $29,280 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 102% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $32K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cooks, all others
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Pay for cooks, all other in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 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 $2,246/month, which is 100.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cooks, all other.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cooks, all others in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $40K | $38K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $27K | $28K |
| Richmond | $36K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level cooks, all others (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cooks, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $70K | +85% | N/A |
| Washington | $53K | +39% | 140 |
| Nevada | $51K | +36% | 320 |
| New Jersey | $46K | +22% | 280 |
| Indiana | $44K | +18% | 30 |
| North Dakota | $44K | +17% | 60 |
| Missouri | $44K | +17% | 70 |
| Colorado | $43K | +15% | 100 |
| New York | $43K | +14% | 1,090 |
| Georgia | $43K | +14% | 340 |
| California | $43K | +14% | 3,990 |
| Montana | $43K | +13% | 200 |
| Oregon | $42K | +11% | 450 |
| Arizona | $42K | +11% | 550 |
| Vermont | $41K | +9% | 160 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +6% | 100 |
| Florida | $40K | +5% | 710 |
| Connecticut | $37K | -1% | 220 |
| Michigan | $37K | -2% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $37K | -2% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -3% | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -4% | 660 |
| Illinois | $36K | -5% | N/A |
| Virginia | $36K | -5% | 480 |
| Ohio | $35K | -6% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $34K | -10% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $33K | -11% | N/A |
| Texas | $32K | -15% | 4,650 |
| Maryland | $32K | -15% | 610 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -17% | 150 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -18% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -23% | 430 |
| Iowa | $26K | -31% | 210 |
Showing 1–10 of 33 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a cooks, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 100.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, all others typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,139/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 105% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $32K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for cooks, all others?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, all others make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $31,880 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,340, and experienced cooks, all others can clear $66,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,235/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 100.5% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, all other salary is worth about $29,280 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.