Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Wisconsin
$39,860avg. a year
$19.16 an hour · 9,890 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Wisconsin earn an average of $39,860 a year. That is $1,050 (3%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI at $44,680.
$38,650Median pay
$19.16Average hourly
+30%Avg. pay since 2020
#22Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Wisconsin metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
14,490 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$44,680
$21.48 an hour
21,030 jobs
Madison, WI
$42,010
$20.20 an hour
3530 jobs
Duluth, MN-WI
$41,220
$19.82 an hour
42,710 jobs
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
$40,430
$19.44 an hour
5240 jobs
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
$40,220
$19.34 an hour
6240 jobs
Kenosha, WI
$40,090
$19.27 an hour
7250 jobs
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI
$39,830
$19.15 an hour
8480 jobs
Green Bay, WI
$39,580
$19.03 an hour
9310 jobs
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$39,180
$18.84 an hour
10210 jobs
Janesville-Beloit, WI
$39,160
$18.83 an hour
11340 jobs
Appleton, WI
$38,940
$18.72 an hour
12160 jobs
Wausau, WI
$38,670
$18.59 an hour
13330 jobs
Eau Claire, WI
$38,660
$18.59 an hour
14170 jobs
Fond du Lac, WI
$38,360
$18.44 an hour
15210 jobs
Sheboygan, WI
$36,680
$17.63 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 Wisconsin, charted
Pay over time
Wisconsin, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Wisconsin cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Wisconsin highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+Wisconsin
Wisconsin vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| Wisconsin | $39,860 | $19.16 |
| Minnesota | $43,050 | $20.70 |
| Illinois | $39,210 | $18.85 |
| Michigan | $37,370 | $17.97 |
| Iowa | $35,260 | $16.95 |
Related jobs in Wisconsin
Average pay, Wisconsin, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in Wisconsin?
The average is $39,860 a year, and the median is $38,650. That is $1,050 (3%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in Wisconsin?
$19.16 an hour on average; the median is $18.58.
Where in Wisconsin do they earn the most?
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($44,680), followed by Madison, WI ($42,010). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Sheboygan, WI ($36,680).
How does Wisconsin rank?
Wisconsin ranks #22 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.