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Food service

Cooks, all other

All cooks not listed separately.

Median pay

$37,690

Growth to 2035

+5%

about as fast as average

Openings a year

2,800

Time to qualify*

6 months

* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.

Pay

Cooks, all other

$37,69010% earn under $27,040 · middle half $32,150–$43,680 · top 10% over $51,140
Bar: middle 50% of workers. Line: 10th to 90th percentile. Dot: median. BLS OEWS, May 2025, national.

Getting in

Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Prior experience
None

Calculate your switch to cooks, all other

What the work is like

Cooks, all other

Dealing with the public

Rarely
Constantly

Time pressure

Rarely
Constantly

Freedom to make decisions

Little
A lot
Average worker ratings, 1 to 5. O*NET 31.0 work context survey.

Core tasks

Outlook and AI

Cooks, all other held 19,700 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 20,800 by 2035 (+5%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).

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