SOC 35-2012 · Monroe, LA metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Monroe, LA

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Monroe, Louisiana is $24,610 a year ($11.83 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $22,980: half of the 300 people in this job in the Monroe, LA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 37% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$24,610average per year

$11.83 / hourMedian $22,980Take-home ≈ $21,524

  • $18K10th
  • $22K25th
  • $23KMedian
  • $27K75th
  • $30K90th

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

300people in this job
-37%vs U.S. average
#10 of 10Louisiana metros
84cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Monroe

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,470 a year or less, while the top 10% make $30,160 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Monroe earn between $21,980 and $27,390.

  • $18K10th
  • $22K25th
  • $23KMedian
  • $27K75th
  • $30K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$24,610$2,051$11.83
Median$22,980$1,915$11.05
Entry level (25th percentile)$21,980$1,832$10.57
Experienced (75th percentile)$27,390$2,282$13.17

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Monroe vs. Louisiana and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Monroe earn 10% less than the Louisiana average ($27,300) and 37% less than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is -39% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Monroe$24,610$22,980$18,470$30,160300
Louisiana$27,300$25,490$19,250$36,2005,740
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 Monroe

On the average salary of $24,610, a single filer in Monroe takes home about $21,524 a year, or $1,794 a month and $828 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Louisiana paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Monroe area are 16% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 83.6), so the average $24,610 buys what about $29,439 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Monroe ($38,150). A typical home costs $168,606, or 6.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $24,610 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Louisiana cities

Monroe ranks 10th of 10 Louisiana metro areas for this job; Lake Charles pays the most ($31,940).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Louisiana

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 Monroe: questions

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

$11.83 an hour on average, and $11.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,470 a year and the 25th percentile is $21,980, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $21,524 a year ($1,794 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $24,610.

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

The average here is 37% 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 Monroe, LA (33740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
  • 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).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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