SOC 35-2012 · Lima, OH metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Lima, OH

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Lima, Ohio is $35,630 a year ($17.13 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $35,820: half of the 260 people in this job in the Lima, OH metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 10% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($39,648).

$35,630average per year

$17.13 / hourMedian $35,820Take-home ≈ $29,743

  • $29K10th
  • $31K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $44K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

260people in this job
-10%vs U.S. metro average
#10 of 12Ohio metros
90cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Lima

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,360 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Lima earn between $31,070 and $37,920.

  • $29K10th
  • $31K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $44K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$35,630$2,969$17.13
Median$35,820$2,985$17.22
Entry level (25th percentile)$31,070$2,589$14.94
Experienced (75th percentile)$37,920$3,160$18.23

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Lima

On the average salary of $35,630, a single filer in Lima takes home about $29,743 a year, or $2,479 a month and $1,144 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Lima's local income tax (1.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

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

Prices in the Lima area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.7), so the average $35,630 buys what about $39,735 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Lima ($47,170). A typical home costs $192,196, or 5.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $35,630 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Ohio cities

Lima ranks 10th of 12 Ohio metro areas for this job; Columbus pays the most ($39,620).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Ohio

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 Lima: questions

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

$17.13 an hour on average, and $17.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,070, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $29,743 a year ($2,479 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,630. Includes Lima's local income tax (1.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

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

The average here is 10% 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 Lima, OH (30620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
  • 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). Includes Lima's local income tax (1.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.81, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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