SALARY · COOKS, INSTITUTION AND CAFETERIA · IOWA

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Iowa

You do not need a national average when you are deciding about one state. This page sticks to Iowa for cooks, institution and cafeteria. The median here was $35,810 a year, and the rest of the page shows how wide the range runs around it.

MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY

$35,810

$17 per hour at the median · That is $1,640 (4.4 percent) below the national median of $37,450 for this occupation.

$35,260Mean annual salary
$17Mean hourly wage
$8,860People employed in this job in Iowa

Salary range

25th: $30,970Median: $35,81075th: $37,920
MeasureAnnual
25th percentile$30,970
Median (50th percentile)$35,810
75th percentile$37,920
Mean$35,260

The middle half of workers earned from $30,970 to $37,920 a year. Hourly pay matters if your hours vary. An annual figure can look strong while the hourly rate tells a different story, especially in jobs with seasonal hours or overtime. Check both before you compare two offers.

What stays in your pocket on the median salary

ESTIMATED TAKE-HOME PAY

$30,244 a year
$2,520 a month
Federal tax $2,117 · FICA $2,739 · State tax $709

Iowa school district and county EMS surtaxes are separate and are not in this figure.

Read this before you use the take-home figure. It is a single-filer estimate using the 2026 standard deduction. It leaves out credits, other deductions, local taxes, and retirement or health deductions. Your actual paycheck can differ, and for states without a verified 2026 table in this build, state tax is still to be added once its table is verified.

Same job, other states

Other jobs in Iowa

Try your own salary in the paycheck calculator