Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Omaha
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,490 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Omaha earn between $34,480 and $39,880.
- $30K10th
- $34K25th
- $37KMedian
- $40K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,560 | $3,130 | $18.06 |
| Median | $36,750 | $3,062 | $17.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,480 | $2,873 | $16.58 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,880 | $3,323 | $19.17 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Omaha
On the average salary of $37,560, a single filer in Omaha takes home about $31,530 a year, or $2,628 a month and $1,213 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Omaha, NE-IA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IA | $31,544 | $2,629 |
| Working in NE | $31,530 | $2,628 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Omaha a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Omaha area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.9), so the average $37,560 buys what about $40,866 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Omaha ($49,660). A typical home costs $310,337, or 8.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Nebraska cities
Omaha ranks 2nd of 3 Nebraska metro areas for this job; Lincoln pays the most ($38,830).
- Lincoln$38,830
- Omaha$37,560
- Grand Island$35,800
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 Omaha: questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Omaha?
$18.06 an hour on average, and $17.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Omaha?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Omaha?
About $31,530 a year ($2,628 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,560.
Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Omaha than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less 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 Omaha, NE-IA (36540). 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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