Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary
in Fort Smith, AR-OK
- Middle 50%
- $27,040–$31,010
- vs U.S. median
- -22%
- Metro rank
- #377 of 435
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro earn a median of $29,380 a year, based on BLS estimates for 560 jobs (May 2025). That is 22% below the U.S. median of $37,450 and 3% below the AR statewide median of $30,240. It ranks #377 of 435 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE560 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in other AR metros
7 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $33,430 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $32,720 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $30,480 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $29,460 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $29,340 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $29,190 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $28,650 |
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RELATED JOBS IN FORT SMITH
Questions
What is the average Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Fort Smith?
The BLS median is $29,380 a year (May 2025). Half of the 560 jobs pay between $27,040 and $31,010. The 10th percentile is $23,980 and the 90th is $36,180.
Is Fort Smith a high-paying metro for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria?
That is 22% below the U.S. median of $37,450 and 3% below the AR statewide median of $30,240. It ranks #377 of 435 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make an hour in Fort Smith?
About $14.13 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $29,380 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $13.00–$14.91 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.