SOC 35-2012 · Bangor, ME metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Bangor, ME

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Bangor, Maine is $43,360 a year ($20.85 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $42,700: half of the 280 people in this job in the Bangor, ME metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$43,360average per year

$20.85 / hourMedian $42,700Take-home ≈ $35,723

  • $36K10th
  • $39K25th
  • $43KMedian
  • $48K75th
  • $49K90th

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

280people in this job
+12%vs U.S. average
#2 of 3Maine metros
97cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Bangor

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,030 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,930 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Bangor earn between $39,170 and $47,990.

  • $36K10th
  • $39K25th
  • $43KMedian
  • $48K75th
  • $49K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$43,360$3,613$20.85
Median$42,700$3,558$20.53
Entry level (25th percentile)$39,170$3,264$18.83
Experienced (75th percentile)$47,990$3,999$23.07

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Bangor vs. Maine and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Bangor earn about the same as the Maine average ($43,520) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is +14% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Bangor$43,360$42,700$36,030$48,930280
Maine$43,520$43,490$36,060$50,7001,790
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 Bangor

On the average salary of $43,360, a single filer in Bangor takes home about $35,723 a year, or $2,977 a month and $1,374 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). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.

Maine paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Bangor area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.5), so the average $43,360 buys what about $44,929 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Bangor ($47,960). A typical home costs $280,733, or 6.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $43,360 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Maine cities

Bangor ranks 2nd of 3 Maine metro areas for this job; Portland pays the most ($45,710).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Maine

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 Bangor: questions

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

$20.85 an hour on average, and $20.53 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,030 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,170, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $35,723 a year ($2,977 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,360. Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.

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

The average here is 12% more 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 Bangor, ME (12620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
  • 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). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.36, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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