Cooks, Short Order Salary in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Cooks, Short Orders in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD make a median of $35,280 a year, or about $16.96 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $33,764 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month — about 76.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). 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, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level cooks, short orders (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $2K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Short Order pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $46K | +30% | N/A |
| Washington | $46K | +29% | 1,610 |
| Massachusetts | $45K | +26% | 4,100 |
| Hawaii | $41K | +15% | 600 |
| Alaska | $40K | +12% | 390 |
| Vermont | $39K | +10% | 600 |
| California | $39K | +10% | 34,490 |
| Nevada | $39K | +9% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +8% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $38K | +7% | 1,020 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +4% | 410 |
| New York | $37K | +3% | N/A |
| Illinois | $37K | +3% | 1,380 |
| Utah | $37K | +3% | 520 |
| Oregon | $36K | +0% | 3,240 |
| Wyoming | $36K | +0% | 40 |
| Missouri | $35K | -1% | 1,810 |
| Maryland | $35K | -1% | 2,670 |
| New Jersey | $35K | -1% | 1,120 |
| North Dakota | $35K | -3% | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $34K | -3% | N/A |
| Florida | $34K | -4% | 5,210 |
| Maine | $34K | -4% | 1,050 |
| Delaware | $32K | -10% | 80 |
| Iowa | $32K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Montana | $31K | -12% | 80 |
| Idaho | $31K | -12% | 250 |
| Nebraska | $31K | -12% | 1,790 |
| South Dakota | $31K | -13% | 2,060 |
| Oklahoma | $31K | -13% | 840 |
| Indiana | $31K | -14% | 2,100 |
| Michigan | $31K | -14% | 2,390 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -14% | 3,000 |
| Virginia | $30K | -15% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $29K | -17% | 200 |
| Minnesota | $29K | -18% | 1,260 |
| South Carolina | $29K | -18% | 1,270 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -18% | 1,020 |
| New Hampshire | $29K | -19% | 2,840 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -19% | 2,890 |
| Texas | $29K | -19% | 4,150 |
| Ohio | $28K | -20% | 6,920 |
| West Virginia | $27K | -23% | 670 |
| Wisconsin | $27K | -23% | 2,960 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -24% | 3,920 |
| Kansas | $27K | -25% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $26K | -28% | 2,360 |
| Alabama | $25K | -29% | 1,280 |
| Georgia | $22K | -38% | 6,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $18K | -48% | 3,800 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, short order salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, short orders make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $35,280 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,760, and experienced cooks, short orders can clear $35,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,407/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 77.1% 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, short order salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, short order salary is worth about $33,764 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, short orders 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.