SOC 35-2012 · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Davenport, IA

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Davenport, Iowa is $35,520 a year ($17.08 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $35,740: half of the 840 people in this job in the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$35,520average per year

$17.08 / hourMedian $35,740Take-home ≈ $29,982

  • $31K10th
  • $32K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $42K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

840people in this job
-8%vs U.S. average
#4 of 8Iowa metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Davenport

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $42,220 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Davenport earn between $31,550 and $37,790.

  • $31K10th
  • $32K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $42K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$35,520$2,960$17.08
Median$35,740$2,978$17.18
Entry level (25th percentile)$31,550$2,629$15.17
Experienced (75th percentile)$37,790$3,149$18.17

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Davenport vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Davenport earn about the same as the Iowa average ($35,260) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Davenport$35,520$35,740$31,200$42,220840
Iowa$35,260$35,810$28,030$44,1508,860
United States$38,810$37,450$28,480$49,670441,050

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Davenport

On the average salary of $35,520, a single filer in Davenport takes home about $29,982 a year, or $2,499 a month and $1,153 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

The Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IA$29,982$2,499
Working in IL$29,103$2,425

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Iowa paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Davenport a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Davenport area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.1), so the average $35,520 buys what about $39,875 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Davenport ($48,550). A typical home costs $195,380, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $35,520 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Iowa cities

Davenport ranks 4th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Ames pays the most ($37,200).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for cooks, institution and cafeteria

Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($57,770).

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by city

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Davenport: questions

How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Davenport?

$17.08 an hour on average, and $17.18 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Davenport?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,550, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Davenport?

About $29,982 a year ($2,499 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,520. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Davenport than elsewhere?

The average here is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL (19340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.