SOC 35-2012 · Yakima, WA metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Yakima, WA

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Yakima, Washington is $46,890 a year ($22.55 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $46,730: half of the 430 people in this job in the Yakima, WA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 21% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$46,890average per year

$22.55 / hourMedian $46,730Take-home ≈ $39,856

  • $38K10th
  • $42K25th
  • $47KMedian
  • $51K75th
  • $53K90th

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

430people in this job
+21%vs U.S. average
#7 of 11Washington metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Yakima

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $53,320 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Yakima earn between $42,430 and $50,590.

  • $38K10th
  • $42K25th
  • $47KMedian
  • $51K75th
  • $53K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$46,890$3,908$22.54
Median$46,730$3,894$22.47
Entry level (25th percentile)$42,430$3,536$20.40
Experienced (75th percentile)$50,590$4,216$24.32

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Yakima vs. Washington and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Yakima earn 9% less than the Washington average ($51,290) and 21% more than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is +25% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Yakima$46,890$46,730$38,270$53,320430
Washington$51,290$49,670$39,820$62,8409,780
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 Yakima

On the average salary of $46,890, a single filer in Yakima takes home about $39,856 a year, or $3,321 a month and $1,533 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

Washington paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Yakima area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $46,890 buys what about $49,076 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Yakima ($47,810). A typical home costs $355,256, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $46,890 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Washington cities

Yakima ranks 7th of 11 Washington metro areas for this job; Seattle pays the most ($53,820).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Washington

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 Yakima: questions

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

$22.55 an hour on average, and $22.46 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,430, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $39,856 a year ($3,321 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,890. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

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

The average here is 21% 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 Yakima, WA (49420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
  • 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.58, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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