Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary
in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Middle 50%
- $30,600–$40,200
- vs U.S. median
- -2%
- Metro rank
- #189 of 435
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro earn a median of $36,880 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,190 jobs (May 2025). That is 2% below the U.S. median of $37,450 and 1% above the PA statewide median of $36,540. It ranks #189 of 435 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,190 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
Were you outpaid?
Your salary is ranked in your browser and never uploaded.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in other PA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,870 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $38,570 |
| State College, PA | $37,100 |
| Lancaster, PA | $37,040 |
| Reading, PA | $36,590 |
| Lebanon, PA | $36,230 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $36,100 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $36,030 |
Turn your result into a raise plan.
Run the free check first for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria. If you want to act on it, the Dossier turns your result into a target number (the 75th percentile for your job and metro), the employers that report paying more (where filing data exists), a raise or counter-offer script filled in with your numbers, and a one-page summary for your manager.
- ✓ Built from BLS and DOL data
- ✓ PDF generated in your browser
- ✓ 7-day money-back guarantee
RELATED JOBS IN HARRISBURG
Questions
What is the average Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Harrisburg?
The BLS median is $36,880 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,190 jobs pay between $30,600 and $40,200. The 10th percentile is $29,920 and the 90th is $44,900.
Is Harrisburg a high-paying metro for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria?
That is 2% below the U.S. median of $37,450 and 1% above the PA statewide median of $36,540. It ranks #189 of 435 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make an hour in Harrisburg?
About $17.73 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $36,880 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $14.71–$19.33 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.