Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in Alabama make a median of $27,120 a year, or about $13.04 an hour. The range runs from $20K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $30,693 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 56.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $27K get you in Alabama?
About cooks, institution and cafeterias
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Alabama runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 57.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cooks, institution and cafeterias.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $20K. Mid-career wages sit at $27K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | $32K | +17% | 470 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $30K | +9% | 260 |
| Mobile | $29K | +5% | 630 |
| Huntsville | $28K | +4% | 800 |
| Dothan | $28K | +3% | 180 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $27K | +1% | 320 |
| Birmingham | $27K | +0% | 2,460 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $27K | +0% | 240 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $24K | -12% | 210 |
| Decatur | $24K | -13% | 220 |
| Montgomery | $23K | -15% | 750 |
| Gadsden | $22K | -17% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, institution and cafeteria afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $27K, rent takes 57.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, institution and cafeterias in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, institution and cafeterias typically earn — is $20K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,202/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 90% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooks, institution and cafeteria a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $27K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for cooks, institution and cafeterias?
Alabama pays $27K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in Alabama?
The median is $27,120 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,040, and experienced cooks, institution and cafeterias can clear $37,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $27K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,887/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 57.5% 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, institution and cafeteria salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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, institution and cafeteria salary is worth about $30,693 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, institution and cafeterias 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.