Cooks, Restaurant: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Cooks, Restaurant fall under the Food Preparation and Serving category in the U.S. occupational classification. Cooks, Restaurant earn a median salary of $36,830 per year, ranking in the top 92% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +14.9% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do cooks, restaurant earn?

The median annual wage for cooks, restaurant is $36,830. That puts cooks, restaurant at #748 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is cooks, restaurant a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for cooks, restaurant is +14.9%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 1.5M positions in 2024 to 1.7M in 2034, a net change of 217K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.

What do cooks, restaurant do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working cooks, restaurant, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
2. 2.Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
3. 3.Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
4. 4.Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
5. 5.Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
6. 6.Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
7. 7.Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
8. 8.Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.

Top skills for cooks, restaurant

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become cooks, restaurant?

Many cooks, restaurant enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Chefs and Head Cooks
  $60,990 median
• Cooks, Private Household
  $44,530 median
• First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
  $42,010 median
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  $36,450 median
• Cooks, All Other
  $36,210 median
• Cooks, Short Order
  $35,620 median

Common questions parents ask about cooks, restaurant