Line Cooks

Median Salary: $22,900

Many line cooks across the country share a handful of key professional traits. For example, NA can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 19,210 folks were working as line cooks nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to cultivate these characteristics and receive formal training, particularly if you're planning to move forward in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for line cooks in the U.S. was $22,900 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $11.00. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about line cooks, including wages and job density for areas all over the country.

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of folks working as line cooks). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of line cooks in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Montgomery NA $19,000 $9.20 $20,300 $9.70 NA
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 380 $24,300 $11.70 $28,300 $13.60 45.6%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fresno 130 $23,800 $11.50 $28,300 $13.60 166.7%
Los Angeles (Area) 910 $26,900 $13.00 $33,500 $16.10 15%
Oakland 220 $28,600 $13.70 $40,000 $19.20 50.3%
Oxnard 70 $26,200 $12.60 $33,100 $15.90 65.3%
Riverside 170 $25,500 $12.30 $33,500 $16.10 -1.4%
Sacramento 110 $24,100 $11.60 $27,300 $13.10 -14.3%
San Diego 150 $26,900 $13.00 $31,700 $15.20 -20.4%
San Francisco (Area) 560 $28,100 $13.50 $35,800 $17.20 94.6%
San Francisco (City) 340 $27,700 $13.30 $31,600 $15.20 138.8%
San Jose 100 $28,400 $13.60 $32,800 $15.80 -24.5%
Santa Rosa 40 $28,400 $13.70 $34,100 $16.40 67.3%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Denver 80 $27,800 $13.40 $31,000 $14.90 -53.1%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 200 $30,100 $14.50 $37,300 $17.90 218.4%
Hartford 30 $20,300 $9.80 $25,500 $12.30 -59.2%
New Haven 40 $20,400 $9.80 $30,600 $14.70 -11.6%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 280 $25,900 $12.40 $32,300 $15.50 -10.2%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Miami (Area) NA $16,200 $7.80 $25,800 $12.40 NA
Orlando 40 $28,200 $13.60 $31,000 $14.90 -73.5%
Tampa 50 $29,300 $14.10 $31,200 $15.00 -71.4%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 90 $19,500 $9.40 $23,300 $11.20 -74.8%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Champaign 110 $32,700 $15.70 $37,300 $17.90 659.9%
Chicago (Area) 1,270 $23,300 $11.20 $30,300 $14.60 44.2%
Peoria 90 $20,300 $9.80 $23,500 $11.30 266%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Davenport NA $16,700 $8.00 $17,900 $8.60 NA
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington NA $18,700 $9.00 $19,900 $9.60 NA
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge NA $17,700 $8.50 $20,100 $9.60 NA
Houma 210 $24,500 $11.80 $30,200 $14.50 1395.9%
Lafayette 310 $20,900 $10.00 $23,400 $11.20 1355.8%
Lake Charles NA $19,500 $9.40 $22,600 $10.80 NA
New Orleans 210 $20,800 $10.00 $23,600 $11.40 183.7%
Shreveport 210 $19,900 $9.60 $22,600 $10.90 721.1%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 110 $26,500 $12.80 $31,100 $15.00 -40.1%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) NA $31,300 $15.10 $39,900 $19.20 NA
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Detroit (Area) 290 $22,000 $10.60 $27,900 $13.40 4.8%
Grand Rapids 60 $18,800 $9.00 $22,900 $11.00 18.4%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis NA $18,800 $9.10 $33,400 $16.10 NA
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Gulfport 40 $19,000 $9.10 $22,100 $10.60 190.5%
Pascagoula NA $17,500 $8.40 $18,900 $9.10 NA
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City NA $23,400 $11.30 $29,600 $14.20 NA
Springfield 40 $20,200 $9.70 $23,800 $11.40 50.3%
St. Louis 140 $24,000 $11.60 $29,100 $14.00 -24.5%
Montana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Missoula 50 $18,200 $8.70 $21,200 $10.20 465.3%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 110 $32,000 $15.40 $36,600 $17.60 -16.3%
Reno 50 $29,000 $14.00 $31,700 $15.20 85.7%
New Hampshire
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Manchester 40 $25,700 $12.40 $35,300 $17.00 171.4%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Trenton NA $37,900 $18.20 $40,800 $19.60 NA
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 40 $28,600 $13.80 $32,000 $15.40 -38.8%
Buffalo 90 $25,700 $12.40 $35,100 $16.90 9.5%
New York (Area) 1,130 $31,700 $15.20 $38,600 $18.60 2%
Syracuse 40 $20,200 $9.70 $28,600 $13.80 -4.8%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 90 $19,700 $9.50 $28,800 $13.90 89.8%
Canton NA $20,200 $9.70 $24,300 $11.70 NA
Cincinnati 370 $23,800 $11.40 $26,900 $12.90 153.1%
Cleveland 310 $23,900 $11.50 $28,700 $13.80 112.2%
Columbus 120 $26,400 $12.70 $30,600 $14.70 -11.6%
Dayton 30 $25,300 $12.20 $30,100 $14.50 -39.5%
Youngstown 30 $19,900 $9.60 $25,300 $12.20 -2.7%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 90 $29,400 $14.10 $33,900 $16.30 -36.1%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown NA $22,000 $10.60 $23,300 $11.20 NA
Philadelphia (Area) NA $25,400 $12.20 $29,700 $14.30 NA
Pittsburgh NA $19,400 $9.30 $22,200 $10.70 NA
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence NA $23,500 $11.30 $26,500 $12.70 NA
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Knoxville 70 $18,500 $8.90 $26,300 $12.60 44.2%
Memphis NA $21,000 $10.10 $23,300 $11.20 NA
Nashville NA $21,700 $10.50 $26,400 $12.70 NA
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Dallas (Area) 90 $22,700 $10.90 $26,000 $12.50 -69.4%
Houston NA $16,000 $7.70 $17,600 $8.50 NA
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden NA $21,500 $10.30 $24,200 $11.60 NA
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Richmond 30 $35,000 $16.80 $38,000 $18.30 -63.9%
Virginia Beach 30 NA NA NA NA -70.7%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kennewick NA $21,700 $10.40 $24,400 $11.70 NA
Mount Vernon NA $28,200 $13.50 $30,200 $14.50 NA
Seattle (Area) 890 $25,700 $12.40 $28,300 $13.60 222.4%
Spokane NA $23,400 $11.30 $25,600 $12.30 NA
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Milwaukee NA $24,300 $11.70 $28,100 $13.50 NA