Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Iowa
As of May 2025, the median annual wage for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Iowa was $35,810 -4.4% vs national
Iowa vs United States
| Iowa | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $35,810 | $37,450 |
| Median hourly | $17.22 | $18.01 |
| Employment | 8,860 | 441,050 |
| Location quotient | 2 | 1.00 |
Data source: BLS OES state file (Iowa) · U.S. BLS OES survey, May 2025
How to interpret these figures
Pay spans a wide range: workers at the 10th percentile earn about $28,030, while those at the 90th percentile earn about $44,150 — a 1.6x gap between entry-level and top earners.
At $17.22 per hour, a full-time schedule (2,080 hours per year) works out to roughly $35,818 — in line with the reported median annual wage of $35,810.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Iowa?
The median annual wage in Iowa is $35,810 ($17.22 per hour), per BLS OES May 2025 data.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for cooks, institution and cafeteria?
The Iowa median of $35,810 is 4.4% lower than the U.S. median of $37,450.
How many cooks, institution and cafeteria work in Iowa?
Approximately 8,860 are employed in Iowa, per BLS OES.