SOC 35-2012 · Syracuse, NY metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Syracuse, NY

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Syracuse, New York is $43,410 a year ($20.87 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $40,450: half of the 670 people in this job in the Syracuse, NY metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$43,410average per year

$20.87 / hourMedian $40,450Take-home ≈ $35,277

  • $36K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $48K75th
  • $54K90th

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

670people in this job
+12%vs U.S. average
#6 of 13New York metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Syracuse

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,770 a year or less, while the top 10% make $53,660 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Syracuse earn between $37,470 and $47,900.

  • $36K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $48K75th
  • $54K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$43,410$3,618$20.87
Median$40,450$3,371$19.45
Entry level (25th percentile)$37,470$3,122$18.01
Experienced (75th percentile)$47,900$3,992$23.03

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Syracuse vs. New York and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Syracuse earn 7% less than the New York average ($46,850) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is +8% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Syracuse$43,410$40,450$35,770$53,660670
New York$46,850$45,880$36,280$59,62017,670
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 Syracuse

On the average salary of $43,410, a single filer in Syracuse takes home about $35,277 a year, or $2,940 a month and $1,357 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.

New York paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Syracuse area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.7), so the average $43,410 buys what about $45,341 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Syracuse ($52,990). A typical home costs $264,903, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $43,410 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other New York cities

Syracuse ranks 6th of 13 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($48,130).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in New York

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 Syracuse: questions

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

$20.87 an hour on average, and $19.45 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,770 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,470, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $35,277 a year ($2,940 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,410. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.

Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Syracuse 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 Syracuse, NY (45060). 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 (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).

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