Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Florida
$38,170avg. a year
$18.35 an hour · 25,100 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Florida earn an average of $38,170 a year. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Naples-Marco Island, FL at $44,380.
$36,250Median pay
$18.35Average hourly
+36%Avg. pay since 2020
#27Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Florida metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 22.
1440 jobs
Naples-Marco Island, FL
$44,380
$21.34 an hour
23,780 jobs
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$40,190
$19.32 an hour
3180 jobs
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
$39,250
$18.87 an hour
4160 jobs
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL
$38,900
$18.70 an hour
56,220 jobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$38,780
$18.65 an hour
61,030 jobs
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL
$38,340
$18.44 an hour
71,580 jobs
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
$37,970
$18.26 an hour
8140 jobs
Punta Gorda, FL
$37,690
$18.12 an hour
91,770 jobs
Jacksonville, FL
$37,450
$18.01 an hour
10160 jobs
Wildwood-The Villages, FL
$37,430
$17.99 an hour
11370 jobs
Port St. Lucie, FL
$37,400
$17.98 an hour
12130 jobs
Sebring, FL
$37,220
$17.90 an hour
13330 jobs
Gainesville, FL
$37,210
$17.89 an hour
144,220 jobs
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
$37,100
$17.84 an hour
151,080 jobs
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
$36,950
$17.76 an hour
16420 jobs
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
$36,840
$17.71 an hour
17680 jobs
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
$36,610
$17.60 an hour
18170 jobs
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL
$36,420
$17.51 an hour
19390 jobs
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
$35,850
$17.24 an hour
20190 jobs
Homosassa Springs, FL
$35,380
$17.01 an hour
21370 jobs
Tallahassee, FL
$34,840
$16.75 an hour
22340 jobs
Ocala, FL
$34,070
$16.38 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 Florida, charted
Pay over time
Florida, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Florida cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Florida highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Florida
Florida vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Florida | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| Georgia | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | $13.40 |
Related jobs in Florida
Average pay, Florida, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Florida?
The average is $38,170 a year, and the median is $36,250. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Florida?
$18.35 an hour on average; the median is $17.43.
Where in Florida do they earn the most?
Naples-Marco Island, FL ($44,380), followed by Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($40,190). The lowest average among 22 metro areas with data is Ocala, FL ($34,070).
How does Florida rank?
Florida ranks #27 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.