How Much Does a Prep Cook Make in the United States?
The average base salary for a Prep Cook in the United States in 2024 is a month or $32,427 per year, according to the most recent data averaged from ZipRecruiter, Talent.com and Salary.com.
Average Prep Cook Base Salary:
The average wage for a Prep Cook is per hour.
Annual Mean Wage of Prep Cooks by State
[Calculated using Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Talent.com, Salary.com and Indeed data]
This map is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the map to see detailed data.
Prep Cook Salary in Major US Cities
Annual mean wage
$33,967
# of employees
18,530
Annual mean wage
$41,255
# of employees
50,100
Annual mean wage
$38,971
# of employees
26,640
Annual mean wage
$40,819
# of employees
40,360
[Calculated using Glassdoor, Salary.com and Indeed data]
High-Paying Cities for Prep Cooks
| City | Avg Salary | Avg Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 38,971 | 18.74 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 40,819 | 19.62 |
| Miami, FL | 33,967 | 16.33 |
| NYC, NY | 41,255 | 19.83 |
Average Prep Cook Salary by State
Explore the average Prep Cook salary by state.
| State | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,690 |
| Alaska | $35,613 |
| Arizona | $34,613 |
| Arkansas | $29,681 |
| California | $38,066 |
| Colorado | $35,719 |
| Connecticut | $35,367 |
| Delaware | $33,392 |
| Florida | $30,947 |
| Georgia | $31,586 |
| Hawaii | $37,321 |
| Idaho | $33,798 |
| Illinois | $34,027 |
| Indiana | $32,476 |
| Iowa | $34,661 |
| Kansas | $32,281 |
| Kentucky | $31,302 |
| Louisiana | $29,672 |
| Maine | $35,988 |
| Maryland | $33,815 |
| Massachusetts | $37,392 |
| Michigan | $31,609 |
| Minnesota | $36,342 |
| Mississippi | $27,540 |
| Missouri | $32,215 |
| Montana | $34,315 |
| Nebraska | $31,546 |
| Nevada | $34,037 |
| New Hampshire | $36,608 |
| New Jersey | $36,390 |
| New Mexico | $31,270 |
| New York | $37,595 |
| North Carolina | $32,513 |
| North Dakota | $33,785 |
| Ohio | $32,539 |
| Oklahoma | $30,007 |
| Oregon | $35,597 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,964 |
| Rhode Island | $36,670 |
| South Carolina | $32,143 |
| South Dakota | $31,825 |
| Tennessee | $31,746 |
| Texas | $33,465 |
| Utah | $32,509 |
| Vermont | $37,366 |
| Virginia | $33,619 |
| Washington | $39,036 |
| West Virginia | $29,474 |
| Wisconsin | $33,800 |
| Wyoming | $30,979 |
| District of Columbia | $35,862 |
How Much Do Similar Careers to Prep Cooks Get Paid?
On average, Prep Cooks make more than Food Runners and Bussers, but less than Line Cooks.
| Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Food Runner | |
| Busser | |
| Line Cook |
Labor Laws and Taxes for Prep Cooks
As a Prep Cook, you need to be aware of the minimum wage, tipped wage credit, overtime pay and leave policies in your state.
Check out the guides below or view more labor laws:
To easily calculate federal, state and local taxes in your state, use our free Paycheck Calculator.
