Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Arkansas
$32,720avg. a year
$15.73 an hour · 6,530 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Arkansas earn an average of $32,720 a year. That is $6,090 (16%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Jonesboro, AR at $39,240.
$30,240Median pay
$15.73Average hourly
+39%Avg. pay since 2020
#46Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Arkansas metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 7.
1240 jobs
Jonesboro, AR
$39,240
$18.87 an hour
21,290 jobs
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR
$35,410
$17.02 an hour
31,530 jobs
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$34,410
$16.54 an hour
4180 jobs
Hot Springs, AR
$34,230
$16.46 an hour
51,400 jobs
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
$33,220
$15.97 an hour
6560 jobs
Fort Smith, AR-OK
$29,760
$14.31 an hour
7140 jobs
Texarkana, TX-AR
$28,000
$13.46 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 Arkansas, charted
Pay over time
Arkansas, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Arkansas cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Arkansas highlighted · tap a state
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Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Arkansas
Arkansas vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Arkansas | $32,720 | $15.73 |
| Tennessee | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| Missouri | $35,190 | $16.92 |
| Texas | $34,870 | $16.76 |
| Oklahoma | $30,210 | $14.52 |
| Mississippi | $27,850 | $13.39 |
Related jobs in Arkansas
Average pay, Arkansas, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Arkansas?
The average is $32,720 a year, and the median is $30,240. That is $6,090 (16%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Arkansas?
$15.73 an hour on average; the median is $14.54.
Where in Arkansas do they earn the most?
Jonesboro, AR ($39,240), followed by Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR ($35,410). The lowest average among 7 metro areas with data is Texarkana, TX-AR ($28,000).
How does Arkansas rank?
Arkansas ranks #46 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.