Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Rochester, NY
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in Rochester, NY make a median of $39,270 a year, or about $18.88 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $40,472 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month — about 58% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $50K 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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $48K | +32% | 10,210 |
| Hawaii | $47K | +30% | 1,270 |
| Alaska | $47K | +29% | 1,540 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +27% | 7,510 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +26% | 3,630 |
| California | $46K | +25% | 27,320 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +25% | 1,560 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +25% | 940 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +24% | 2,020 |
| New York | $45K | +24% | 16,980 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +21% | 7,290 |
| Delaware | $43K | +19% | 2,520 |
| Minnesota | $42K | +16% | 7,650 |
| Oregon | $42K | +15% | 7,010 |
| Vermont | $41K | +13% | 1,350 |
| Maine | $40K | +9% | 2,120 |
| Arizona | $39K | +8% | 6,840 |
| North Dakota | $39K | +7% | 2,120 |
| Maryland | $39K | +7% | 3,730 |
| Nevada | $39K | +6% | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | +4% | 9,680 |
| Utah | $38K | +4% | 5,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | +1% | 23,520 |
| Montana | $37K | +1% | 2,270 |
| Illinois | $36K | -0% | 22,850 |
| Virginia | $36K | -1% | 11,070 |
| Ohio | $36K | -1% | 23,180 |
| Michigan | $36K | -2% | 13,650 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -2% | 1,500 |
| Florida | $36K | -2% | 24,100 |
| Nebraska | $36K | -2% | 4,360 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -3% | 2,160 |
| Indiana | $35K | -4% | 11,690 |
| Georgia | $35K | -4% | 7,440 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -5% | 11,970 |
| Iowa | $35K | -5% | 9,460 |
| New Mexico | $34K | -6% | 3,650 |
| Idaho | $34K | -7% | 3,950 |
| Texas | $33K | -10% | 35,110 |
| Tennessee | $32K | -12% | 11,890 |
| South Carolina | $32K | -13% | 7,560 |
| Kansas | $31K | -15% | 7,470 |
| Missouri | $31K | -15% | 13,310 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -16% | 11,650 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -19% | 6,700 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -21% | 4,540 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -21% | 11,660 |
| Alabama | $27K | -27% | 8,970 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -28% | 6,280 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -29% | 6,470 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, institution and cafeteria salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $39,270 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,740, and experienced cooks, institution and cafeterias can clear $50,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,670/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 58.9% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 $40,472 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.