Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,060 a year or less, while the top 10% make $59,430 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Boulder earn between $39,780 and $48,090.
- $37K10th
- $40K25th
- $48KMedian
- $48K75th
- $59K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,510 | $3,876 | $22.36 |
| Median | $48,020 | $4,002 | $23.09 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,780 | $3,315 | $19.12 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $48,090 | $4,008 | $23.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $46,510, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $38,213 a year, or $3,184 a month and $1,470 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $46,510 buys what about $44,210 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 15.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 1st of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Boulder$46,510
- Denver$44,810
- Greeley$43,530
- Fort Collins$42,470
- Colorado Springs$41,800
- Grand Junction$40,030
- Pueblo$39,450
Highest-paying cities for cooks, institution and cafeteria
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($57,770).
- Kahului, HI$57,770
- San Jose, CA$54,290
- Seattle, WA$53,820
- Barnstable, MA$52,850
- San Francisco, CA$52,440
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Boulder: questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Boulder?
$22.36 an hour on average, and $23.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,060 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,780, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Boulder?
About $38,213 a year ($3,184 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,510. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($39,648).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2012; area Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.49, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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