Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Florida

In Florida, the median pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria is $17.43 an hour ($36,250 a year). About 25,100 people work in this job there.

$17.43Median hourly pay
$34,480–$39,840Middle half of workers, yearly
25,100People in this job in Florida

That is 3% lower than the U.S. median ($37,450). Florida ranks 34th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Florida

Earns more thanHourlyYearly
10% of workers$15.22$31,650
25% of workers$16.58$34,480
Half of workers (median)$17.43$36,250
75% of workers$19.15$39,840
90% of workers$22.36$46,520

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Florida metro areas

Metro areaMedian yearly payPeople in this job
Naples-Marco Island$43,890440
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor$38,730160
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$37,6201,030
Sebring$37,380130
Punta Gorda$37,200140
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin$37,190180
Port St. Lucie$37,070370
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$36,9703,780
Homosassa Springs$36,710190
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville$36,510420
Jacksonville$36,4901,770
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$36,4806,220
Gainesville$36,400330
Lakeland-Winter Haven$36,2501,580
Wildwood-The Villages$35,940160
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent$35,890390
Panama City-Panama City Beach$35,680170
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach$35,610680
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$35,0404,220
Cape Coral-Fort Myers$34,8101,080
Tallahassee$34,710370
Ocala$33,410340

Florida unemployment rate: 4.5% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for cooks, institution and cafeteria

  • Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
  • Related work experience most have: 1 to 3 months (O*NET)
  • Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
  • Job outlook: +2.8% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 62,900 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in Florida

JobMedian yearly pay
Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,080
Cooks, Restaurant$37,020
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,470
Food Preparation Workers$35,920
Cooks, Fast Food$29,900
Chefs and Head Cooks$58,240
Food Service Managers$72,790
Bakers$35,870

Other job titles for this job

Food Service SpecialistCulinary SpecialistSous ChefBoarding House CookCafeteria CookCamp CookDietary CookDinner CookGalley CookInstitutional CookKitchen CookMess Cook

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.