Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in Burlington, NC make a mean (average) of $34,860 a year, or about $16.76 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.2), which stretches that salary to about $37,403 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,348/month, about 55.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K (mean) get you in Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (93.2). 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
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What this looks like in Burlington
Cooks, institution and cafeteria pay in Burlington tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,348/month, which is 56.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cooks, institution and cafeterias in metros near Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $38K | $39K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $37K | $38K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $36K | $38K |
| Winston-Salem | $37K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington, NC
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $17K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, institution and cafeteria afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 56.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,348/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, institution and cafeterias in Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, institution and cafeterias typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,544/month. At HUD’s $1,348/month FMR, rent would take 87% 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 Burlington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Burlington compare to the national average for cooks, institution and cafeterias?
Burlington pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in Burlington, NC?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $34,860 a year for this occupation in Burlington, NC. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $25,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,373/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,348/month, which eats 56.8% 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 Burlington?
Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 93.2 (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 $37,403 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.