Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Alabama
$27,870avg. a year
$13.40 an hour · 8,780 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Alabama earn an average of $27,870 a year. That is $10,940 (28%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Columbus, GA-AL at $32,250.
$27,120Median pay
$13.40Average hourly
+26%Avg. pay since 2020
#49Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Alabama metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 13.
1350 jobs
Columbus, GA-AL
$32,250
$15.51 an hour
2470 jobs
Tuscaloosa, AL
$31,620
$15.20 an hour
3260 jobs
Auburn-Opelika, AL
$29,530
$14.20 an hour
4800 jobs
Huntsville, AL
$29,130
$14.00 an hour
52,460 jobs
Birmingham, AL
$28,980
$13.94 an hour
6630 jobs
Mobile, AL
$28,410
$13.66 an hour
7320 jobs
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
$27,880
$13.40 an hour
8180 jobs
Dothan, AL
$26,790
$12.88 an hour
9750 jobs
Montgomery, AL
$26,490
$12.74 an hour
10240 jobs
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
$26,410
$12.70 an hour
11220 jobs
Decatur, AL
$26,040
$12.52 an hour
12210 jobs
Anniston-Oxford, AL
$25,780
$12.39 an hour
13190 jobs
Gadsden, AL
$25,270
$12.15 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Alabama, charted
Pay over time
Alabama, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Alabama cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Alabama highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Alabama
Alabama vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | $13.40 |
| Florida | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| Georgia | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| Tennessee | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| Mississippi | $27,850 | $13.39 |
Related jobs in Alabama
Average pay, Alabama, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Alabama?
The average is $27,870 a year, and the median is $27,120. That is $10,940 (28%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Alabama?
$13.40 an hour on average; the median is $13.04.
Where in Alabama do they earn the most?
Columbus, GA-AL ($32,250), followed by Tuscaloosa, AL ($31,620). The lowest average among 13 metro areas with data is Gadsden, AL ($25,270).
How does Alabama rank?
Alabama ranks #49 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-2012. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national cooks, institution and cafeteria page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.