The median annual wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $38,010 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $39,780.
Pay spans roughly $30,530 at the 10th percentile to $49,120 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $18.28 per hour. An estimated 13,900 people work as cooks, institution and cafeteria in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $38,010 |
| Mean (annual) | $39,780 |
| Median (hourly) | $18.28 |
| 10th percentile | $30,530 |
| 90th percentile | $49,120 |
| Employment | 13,900 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.