SOC 35-2012 · Winchester, VA-WV metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Winchester, VA

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Winchester, Virginia is $36,860 a year ($17.72 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $35,350: half of the 230 people in this job in the Winchester, VA-WV metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$36,860average per year

$17.72 / hourMedian $35,350Take-home ≈ $30,492

  • $31K10th
  • $35K25th
  • $35KMedian
  • $41K75th
  • $43K90th

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

230people in this job
-5%vs U.S. average
#5 of 9Virginia metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Winchester

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,280 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Winchester earn between $34,710 and $41,340.

  • $31K10th
  • $35K25th
  • $35KMedian
  • $41K75th
  • $43K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$36,860$3,072$17.72
Median$35,350$2,946$17.00
Entry level (25th percentile)$34,710$2,892$16.69
Experienced (75th percentile)$41,340$3,445$19.88

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Winchester vs. Virginia and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Winchester earn 7% less than the Virginia average ($39,500) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Winchester$36,860$35,350$30,750$43,280230
Virginia$39,500$37,890$30,000$47,94011,170
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 Winchester

On the average salary of $36,860, a single filer in Winchester takes home about $30,492 a year, or $2,541 a month and $1,173 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

The Winchester, VA-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WV$30,853$2,571
Working in VA$30,492$2,541

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).

Virginia paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Winchester area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.5), so the average $36,860 buys what about $38,217 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Winchester ($47,070). A typical home costs $390,773, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $36,860 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Virginia cities

Winchester ranks 5th of 9 Virginia metro areas for this job; Virginia Beach pays the most ($40,740).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Virginia

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 Winchester: questions

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

$17.72 an hour on average, and $17.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,710, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $30,492 a year ($2,541 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,860.

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

The average here is 5% less 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 Winchester, VA-WV (49020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
  • 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).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.22, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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