SOC 35-2012 · Abilene, TX metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Abilene, TX

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Abilene, Texas is $31,560 a year ($15.17 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $31,850: half of the 250 people in this job in the Abilene, TX metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 20% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($39,648).

$31,560average per year

$15.17 / hourMedian $31,850Take-home ≈ $27,538

  • $22K10th
  • $28K25th
  • $32KMedian
  • $35K75th
  • $38K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

250people in this job
-20%vs U.S. metro average
#17 of 26Texas metros
90cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Abilene

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,620 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Abilene earn between $28,390 and $35,200.

  • $22K10th
  • $28K25th
  • $32KMedian
  • $35K75th
  • $38K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$31,560$2,630$15.17
Median$31,850$2,654$15.31
Entry level (25th percentile)$28,390$2,366$13.65
Experienced (75th percentile)$35,200$2,933$16.92

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Abilene

On the average salary of $31,560, a single filer in Abilene takes home about $27,538 a year, or $2,295 a month and $1,059 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

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

Prices in the Abilene area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.4), so the average $31,560 buys what about $34,925 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Abilene ($44,340). A typical home costs $217,009, or 6.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $31,560 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Texas cities

Abilene ranks 17th of 26 Texas metro areas for this job; Dallas pays the most ($37,710).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Texas

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 Abilene: questions

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

$15.17 an hour on average, and $15.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,390, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $27,538 a year ($2,295 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $31,560. Texas has no state income tax.

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

The average here is 20% 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 Abilene, TX (10180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
  • 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 no state income tax.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.17, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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