School Cafeteria / Food Service Worker

Overview

Sourced

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

O*NET definition of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (SOC 35-2012) · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed.

148,930

in government (SOC 35-2012)

34%

of this occupation works for government

$36,180

median pay in government

Local

levels of government

Titles employers use

Cafeteria CookCookDietary CookSchool CookDinner CookFood Service SpecialistFood Service WorkerPrep Cook (Preparatory Cook)Sous Chef

How people usually get in Editorial

food handler card. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Requirements

Sourced

Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 35-2012)

Education needed to enter: No formal educational credential
Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training

Education workers say the job requires

Less than a High School Diploma

High School Diploma or the equivalent

71%

Post-Secondary Certificate

14%

Some College Courses

Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree

Bachelor's Degree

Share of surveyed workers in Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (SOC 35-2012) naming each level as required to be hired, 41 respondents, O*NET survey August 2019. Each employer sets its own minimum.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

How to get hired

Sourced

Cooks typically learn their skills through on-the-job training and related work experience. Although no formal education is required, some cooks attend culinary school.

From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “Cooks”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 edition (XML compilation). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Academy and training

Sourced

Training to become competent (BLS)

SOC 35-2012: Short-term on-the-job training

Preparation level (O*NET)

Job zone: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Seniority steps: single title × seniority steps; growth via steps, overtime, bidding (bus operator, sanitation, dispatcher). Typical structure for a single title with seniority steps; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

Trainee / probationary
Steps to top rate
Lead / trainer
Supervisor
Manager

Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).

Pay

Sourced

Federal

$56,100

State

$45,590

Local

$35,810

All government

$36,180

Private sector

$38,050

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer type	Workers	10th pct.	25th	Median	75th	90th
Federal	2,760	$45,220	$49,590	$56,100	$64,270	$73,150
State	10,930	$32,590	$38,120	$45,590	$51,900	$58,540
Local	135,240	$25,710	$30,260	$35,810	$40,140	$48,130
All government	148,930	$26,530	$30,620	$36,180	$43,090	$50,310
Private sector	292,120	$29,050	$34,320	$38,050	$45,220	$49,440

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Schedule

Sourced

Work schedule

Regular

95%

Irregular

Seasonal

Typical work week

Less than 40 hours

41%

40 hours

42%

More than 40 hours

16%

Share of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2019). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Day-to-day work

Sourced

Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.4.7
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.4.7
Rotate and store food supplies.4.6
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.4.6
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.4.6
Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.4.6
Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.4.5
Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals.4.4
Train new employees.4.3
Take inventory of supplies and equipment.4.2

The 10 most important of 12 core tasks for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2019.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

13Derived

Employer directory

Sourced

13,321 school districts in the registry. Regular public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data (charter-only districts are not included). The 10 largest by teachers (fte):

Employer	Location	Teachers (FTE)	Website
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299	Chicago, IL	23,532	Official site
Los Angeles Unified	Los Angeles, CA	21,246	Official site
MIAMI-DADE	Miami, FL	17,139	Official site
Clark County	Las Vegas, NV	16,446	Official site
Fairfax County Public Schools	Falls Church, VA	13,501	Official site
Gwinnett County	Lawrenceville, GA	12,796	—
Hawaii Department of Education	Honolulu, HI	12,215	Official site
Montgomery County Public Schools	Rockville, MD	11,574	Official site
PALM BEACH	West Palm Beach, FL	11,548	Official site
ORANGE	Orlando, FL	11,416	Official site

Full lists by state:

Texas · 1,022 California · 988 Illinois · 855 New York · 717 Ohio · 619 New Jersey · 560 Michigan · 536 Missouri · 518 Oklahoma · 507 Pennsylvania · 500 Wisconsin · 420 Montana · 392

As reported by each employer to its federal registry.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data, 2024–25 local education agency universe (directory and staff). Data captured September 30, 2026.

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (SOC 35-2012) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

State	Workers	10th pct.	Median	90th pct.
Washington	9,780	$39,820	$49,670	$62,840
Alaska	1,430	$37,990	$48,580	$58,710
Massachusetts	7,430	$39,250	$47,790	$58,090
Hawaii	1,570	$38,250	$47,770	$65,020
Rhode Island	1,190	$37,890	$46,570	$58,380
California	31,660	$37,570	$46,390	$59,630
Vermont	1,330	$38,120	$46,370	$56,560
Connecticut	4,500	$38,380	$46,120	$56,570
New York	17,670	$36,280	$45,880	$59,620
District of Columbia	1,500	$38,740	$45,450	$55,680
New Hampshire	1,720	$35,790	$45,370	$56,470
New Jersey	7,490	$35,500	$44,520	$53,060
Oregon	7,150	$36,690	$44,520	$57,790
Delaware	2,680	$35,870	$44,080	$47,560
Maine	1,790	$36,060	$43,490	$50,700
Minnesota	7,890	$35,520	$43,460	$52,140
Colorado	9,440	$36,290	$42,500	$50,990
Maryland	3,370	$35,520	$41,380	$49,750
Arizona	7,170	$34,490	$39,660	$48,370
North Dakota	1,820	$31,300	$39,490	$48,670
Nevada	1,650	$32,020	$39,430	$53,520
Wisconsin	9,890	$32,110	$38,650	$47,380
Utah	5,610	$28,870	$38,200	$48,600
Virginia	11,170	$30,000	$37,890	$47,940
Illinois	22,840	$31,200	$37,440	$48,130
Montana	2,290	$30,500	$37,150	$50,600
Wyoming	1,570	$29,130	$36,940	$47,830
Michigan	13,500	$29,800	$36,870	$45,540
South Dakota	2,120	$30,140	$36,730	$45,650
Ohio	23,440	$29,530	$36,720	$46,010
Pennsylvania	24,490	$28,390	$36,540	$46,380
New Mexico	3,160	$28,920	$36,470	$45,330
Nebraska	4,410	$29,890	$36,390	$45,380
Florida	25,100	$31,650	$36,250	$46,520
North Carolina	11,170	$28,050	$36,140	$45,130
Indiana	11,130	$29,280	$35,980	$44,760
Iowa	8,860	$28,030	$35,810	$44,150
Idaho	3,650	$28,330	$35,600	$45,550
Tennessee	10,680	$27,830	$35,570	$45,430
Texas	24,740	$24,770	$35,360	$44,840
Georgia	8,220	$28,220	$35,090	$44,540
South Carolina	7,850	$21,890	$34,960	$42,680
Missouri	13,130	$28,600	$34,900	$43,700
Kansas	7,570	$25,440	$31,950	$42,000
Kentucky	11,540	$25,580	$31,550	$45,720
Arkansas	6,530	$25,810	$30,240	$39,720
West Virginia	4,420	$23,820	$29,740	$38,470
Oklahoma	10,790	$21,620	$29,270	$38,670
Mississippi	6,420	$20,760	$27,390	$36,620
Alabama	8,780	$20,040	$27,120	$37,960
Louisiana	5,740	$19,250	$25,490	$36,200

51 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

05 Probation
Probation length and what ends it
Not yet collected
09 Benefits and pension
Pension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
Not yet collected
10 Union contracts
Bargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
Not yet collected
11 Transfers and lateral entry
Lateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves
Not yet collected
14 Exam practice
Named exams → OpenExamPrep practice
Not yet collected

School Cafeteria / Food Service Worker

Overview

Titles employers use

Requirements

Education workers say the job requires

How to get hired

Academy and training

Promotion ladder

Pay

Schedule

Day-to-day work

Related jobs

Employer directory

By state

Not yet collected