SOC 35-2012 · Salisbury, MD metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Salisbury, MD

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Salisbury, Maryland is $46,120 a year ($22.17 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $44,430: half of the 100 people in this job in the Salisbury, MD metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$46,120average per year

$22.17 / hourMedian $44,430Take-home ≈ $37,258

  • $34K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $44KMedian
  • $53K75th
  • $64K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

100people in this job
+19%vs U.S. average
#1 of 4Maryland metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Salisbury

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,050 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,570 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Salisbury earn between $37,240 and $53,100.

  • $34K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $44KMedian
  • $53K75th
  • $64K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$46,120$3,843$22.17
Median$44,430$3,702$21.36
Entry level (25th percentile)$37,240$3,103$17.90
Experienced (75th percentile)$53,100$4,425$25.53

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Salisbury vs. Maryland and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Salisbury earn 8% more than the Maryland average ($42,750) and 19% more than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is +19% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Salisbury$46,120$44,430$34,050$63,570100
Maryland$42,750$41,380$35,520$49,7503,370
United States$38,810$37,450$28,480$49,670441,050

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Salisbury

On the average salary of $46,120, a single filer in Salisbury takes home about $37,258 a year, or $3,105 a month and $1,433 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.

Maryland paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Salisbury a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Salisbury area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.6), so the average $46,120 buys what about $48,234 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Salisbury ($48,710). A typical home costs $429,483, or 9.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $46,120 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Maryland cities

Salisbury ranks 1st of 4 Maryland metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Maryland

Highest-paying cities for cooks, institution and cafeteria

Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($57,770).

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by city

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Salisbury: questions

How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Salisbury?

$22.17 an hour on average, and $21.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Salisbury?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,050 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,240, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Salisbury?

About $37,258 a year ($3,105 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,120. Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.

Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Salisbury than elsewhere?

The average here is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2012; area Salisbury, MD (41540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.65, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.65).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.