Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Mississippi
$27,850avg. a year
$13.39 an hour · 6,420 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Mississippi earn an average of $27,850 a year. That is $10,960 (28%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR at $34,410.
$27,390Median pay
$13.39Average hourly
+33%Avg. pay since 2020
#50Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Mississippi metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 4.
11,530 jobs
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$34,410
$16.54 an hour
2810 jobs
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
$29,850
$14.35 an hour
3360 jobs
Hattiesburg, MS
$28,340
$13.63 an hour
41,190 jobs
Jackson, MS
$28,210
$13.56 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 Mississippi, charted
Pay over time
Mississippi, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Mississippi cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Mississippi highlighted · tap a state
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Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Mississippi
Mississippi vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Mississippi | $27,850 | $13.39 |
| Tennessee | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| Arkansas | $32,720 | $15.73 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | $13.40 |
| Louisiana | $27,300 | $13.13 |
Related jobs in Mississippi
- Cooks, Restaurant$29,770
- Food Preparation Workers$26,750
- Cooks, Fast Food$23,560
- Cooks, Short Order$27,140
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$23,880
- Waiters and Waitresses$24,680
Average pay, Mississippi, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Mississippi?
The average is $27,850 a year, and the median is $27,390. That is $10,960 (28%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Mississippi?
$13.39 an hour on average; the median is $13.17.
Where in Mississippi do they earn the most?
Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($34,410), followed by Gulfport-Biloxi, MS ($29,850). The lowest average among 4 metro areas with data is Jackson, MS ($28,210).
How does Mississippi rank?
Mississippi ranks #50 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.