Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in Mayaguez, PR make a median of $23,820 a year, or about $11.45 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $23,820 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $530/month, about 31.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $24K get you in Mayaguez?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Mayaguez’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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 Mayaguez
Pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Mayaguez runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $37K. Rent runs $530/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cooks, institution and cafeterias in metros near Mayaguez, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas | $26K | $26K |
| Ponce | $29K | $29K |
| Aguadilla | $26K | $26K |
| Arecibo | $24K | $24K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mayaguez, PR
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $24K. Top earners bring in $39K 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 Mayaguez?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $24K, rent takes 30.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $530/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/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 Mayaguez?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, institution and cafeterias typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,310/month. At HUD’s $530/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Mayaguez?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $24K here vs. $37K nationally.
How does Mayaguez compare to the national average for cooks, institution and cafeterias?
Mayaguez pays $24K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $24K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in Mayaguez, PR?
The median is $23,820 a year, that works out to about $11 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,840, and experienced cooks, institution and cafeterias can clear $38,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $24K enough to live in Mayaguez?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,760/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $530/month, which eats 30.1% 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 Mayaguez?
Mayaguez has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, institution and cafeteria salary is worth about $23,820 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.