SOC 35-2012 · Walla Walla, WA metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Walla Walla, WA

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Walla Walla, Washington is $46,420 a year ($22.32 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $46,170: half of the 90 people in this job in the Walla Walla, WA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 17% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($39,648).

$46,420average per year

$22.32 / hourMedian $46,170Take-home ≈ $39,478

  • $39K10th
  • $39K25th
  • $46KMedian
  • $51K75th
  • $57K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

90people in this job
+17%vs U.S. metro average
#11 of 11Washington metros
99cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Walla Walla

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,550 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Walla Walla earn between $38,990 and $51,110.

  • $39K10th
  • $39K25th
  • $46KMedian
  • $51K75th
  • $57K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$46,420$3,868$22.32
Median$46,170$3,848$22.20
Entry level (25th percentile)$38,990$3,249$18.75
Experienced (75th percentile)$51,110$4,259$24.57

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

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Walla Walla

On the average salary of $46,420, a single filer in Walla Walla takes home about $39,478 a year, or $3,290 a month and $1,518 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

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

Prices in the Walla Walla area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.5), so the average $46,420 buys what about $47,118 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Walla Walla ($53,100). A typical home costs $419,484, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $46,420 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Washington cities

Walla Walla ranks 11th of 11 Washington metro areas for this job; Seattle pays the most ($53,820).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Washington

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 Walla Walla: questions

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

$22.32 an hour on average, and $22.20 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,990, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $39,478 a year ($3,290 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,420. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

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

The average here is 17% more 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 Walla Walla, WA (47460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
  • 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. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.23, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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