Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Reading
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,900 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,010 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Reading earn between $31,290 and $41,620.
- $30K10th
- $31K25th
- $37KMedian
- $42K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,040 | $3,087 | $17.81 |
| Median | $36,590 | $3,049 | $17.59 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,290 | $2,608 | $15.04 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,620 | $3,468 | $20.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Reading
On the average salary of $37,040, a single filer in Reading takes home about $30,805 a year, or $2,567 a month and $1,185 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Reading a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Reading area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $37,040 buys what about $38,162 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Reading ($49,440). A typical home costs $312,348, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Reading ranks 7th of 16 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($39,980).
- Philadelphia$39,980
- Allentown$39,020
- Lancaster$37,820
- Lebanon$37,500
- State College$37,130
- York$37,120
- Reading$37,040
- Harrisburg$36,740
- Pittsburgh$36,470
- Erie$36,300
All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Pennsylvania
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 Reading: questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Reading?
$17.81 an hour on average, and $17.59 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Reading?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,900 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,290, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Reading?
About $30,805 a year ($2,567 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,040. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Reading than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Reading, PA (39740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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