Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in Birmingham, AL make a median of $27,220 a year, or about $13.09 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $40K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $29,703 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,266/month, about 65.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $27K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). 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, institution and cafeterias
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Birmingham
Pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Birmingham runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,266/month, which is 66.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cooks, institution and cafeterias in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $28K | $30K |
| Montgomery | $23K | $26K |
| Mobile | $29K | $32K |
| Tuscaloosa | $32K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $27K. Top earners bring in $40K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $50K | +33% | 9,780 |
| Alaska | $49K | +30% | 1,430 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +28% | 7,430 |
| Hawaii | $48K | +28% | 1,570 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +24% | 1,190 |
| California | $46K | +24% | 31,660 |
| Vermont | $46K | +24% | 1,330 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +23% | 4,500 |
| New York | $46K | +23% | 17,670 |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +21% | 1,500 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +21% | 1,720 |
| Oregon | $45K | +19% | 7,150 |
| New Jersey | $45K | +19% | 7,490 |
| Delaware | $44K | +18% | 2,680 |
| Maine | $43K | +16% | 1,790 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +16% | 7,890 |
| Colorado | $43K | +13% | 9,440 |
| Maryland | $41K | +10% | 3,370 |
| Arizona | $40K | +6% | 7,170 |
| North Dakota | $39K | +5% | 1,820 |
| Nevada | $39K | +5% | 1,650 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | +3% | 9,890 |
| Utah | $38K | +2% | 5,610 |
| Virginia | $38K | +1% | 11,170 |
| Illinois | $37K | -0% | 22,840 |
| Montana | $37K | -1% | 2,290 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -1% | 1,570 |
| Michigan | $37K | -2% | 13,500 |
| South Dakota | $37K | -2% | 2,120 |
| Ohio | $37K | -2% | 23,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -2% | 24,490 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -3% | 3,160 |
| Nebraska | $36K | -3% | 4,410 |
| Florida | $36K | -3% | 25,100 |
| North Carolina | $36K | -3% | 11,170 |
| Indiana | $36K | -4% | 11,130 |
| Iowa | $36K | -4% | 8,860 |
| Idaho | $36K | -5% | 3,650 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -5% | 10,680 |
| Texas | $35K | -6% | 24,740 |
| Georgia | $35K | -6% | 8,220 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -7% | 7,850 |
| Missouri | $35K | -7% | 13,130 |
| Kansas | $32K | -15% | 7,570 |
| Kentucky | $32K | -16% | 11,540 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -19% | 6,530 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -21% | 4,420 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -22% | 10,790 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -27% | 6,420 |
| Alabama | $27K | -28% | 8,780 |
| Louisiana | $25K | -32% | 5,740 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cooks, institution and cafeteria salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, institution and cafeteria afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $27K, rent takes 66.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/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 Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, institution and cafeterias typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,240/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 102% 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 Birmingham?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $27K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for cooks, institution and cafeterias?
Birmingham pays $27K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $27,220 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,660, and experienced cooks, institution and cafeterias can clear $39,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $27K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,893/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 66.9% 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 Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 $29,703 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.