Cooks, Restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- O*NET-SOC code
35-2014.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$37,390
Employment, U.S.1,409,890
Median hourly wage$17.98
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $28,700 | $34,010 | $37,390 | $44,620 | $47,900 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16,260 | $32,180 | 0.85 |
| Alaska | 2,350 | $40,140 | 0.80 |
| Arizona | 30,870 | $38,670 | 1.05 |
| Arkansas | 11,270 | $30,180 | 0.95 |
| California | 152,250 | $44,880 | 0.92 |
| Colorado | 30,600 | $41,600 | 1.17 |
| Connecticut | 14,830 | $39,480 | 0.96 |
| Delaware | 5,280 | $37,840 | 1.20 |
| District of Columbia | 7,720 | $46,130 | 1.21 |
| Florida | 124,040 | $37,020 | 1.38 |
| Georgia | 46,350 | $35,940 | 1.05 |
| Hawaii | 11,090 | $45,420 | 1.95 |
| Idaho | 8,130 | $36,440 | 1.05 |
| Illinois | 53,540 | $37,580 | 0.97 |
| Indiana | 26,960 | $35,170 | 0.93 |
| Iowa | 12,270 | $35,670 | 0.87 |
| Kansas | 11,620 | $35,130 | 0.89 |
| Kentucky | 13,510 | $34,640 | 0.74 |
| Louisiana | 14,910 | $29,050 | 0.85 |
| Maine | 5,130 | $45,290 | 0.88 |
| Maryland | 17,690 | $37,820 | 0.71 |
| Massachusetts | 29,570 | $45,600 | 0.90 |
| Michigan | 39,100 | $36,980 | 0.98 |
| Minnesota | 26,080 | $38,590 | 0.98 |
| Mississippi | 10,770 | $29,560 | 1.02 |
| Missouri | 25,990 | $36,940 | 0.98 |
| Montana | 7,580 | $38,060 | 1.63 |
| Nebraska | 4,750 | $37,030 | 0.51 |
| Nevada | 27,250 | $38,610 | 1.94 |
| New Hampshire | 7,190 | $40,200 | 1.16 |
| New Jersey | 28,800 | $38,460 | 0.74 |
| New Mexico | 7,810 | $35,020 | 0.99 |
| New York | 71,530 | $43,680 | 0.81 |
| North Carolina | 50,150 | $35,400 | 1.12 |
| North Dakota | 4,490 | $36,470 | 1.15 |
| Ohio | 46,910 | $35,540 | 0.93 |
| Oklahoma | 17,050 | $31,720 | 1.10 |
| Oregon | 21,550 | $43,100 | 1.21 |
| Pennsylvania | 54,100 | $36,580 | 0.98 |
| Rhode Island | 6,950 | $36,510 | 1.53 |
| South Carolina | 25,890 | $35,740 | 1.24 |
| South Dakota | 1,890 | $36,220 | 0.46 |
| Tennessee | 28,220 | $36,420 | 0.95 |
| Texas | 126,620 | $34,760 | 0.99 |
| Utah | 10,520 | $36,490 | 0.67 |
| Vermont | 2,360 | $45,390 | 0.86 |
| Virginia | 40,310 | $36,750 | 1.08 |
| Washington | 35,140 | $46,800 | 1.09 |
| West Virginia | 6,450 | $29,590 | 1.01 |
| Wisconsin | 25,410 | $36,550 | 0.95 |
| Wyoming | 2,710 | $36,830 | 1.06 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooks, Short Order | 1-2 | 0.965 |
| 2 | Bakers | 1-2 | 0.958 |
| 3 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | 1-2 | 0.954 |
| 4 | Food Preparation Workers | 1-2 | 0.950 |
| 5 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 1-2 | 0.941 |
| 6 | Cooks, Fast Food | 1-2 | 0.939 |
| 7 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 1-2 | 0.939 |
| 8 | Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | 1-2 | 0.937 |
| 9 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | 1-2 | 0.936 |
| 10 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 1-2 | 0.933 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Cooks, Restaurant, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | Service Orientation | 0.76 | 0.954 |
| Upholsterers | Complex Problem Solving | 1.00 | 0.923 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.921 |
| Baristas | Service Orientation | 0.76 | 0.920 |
| Log Graders and Scalers | Writing | 0.88 | 0.919 |
| Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | Operation and Control | 1.00 | 0.914 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.904 |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | Operation and Control | 1.00 | 0.895 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | Operations Monitoring | 1.13 | 0.895 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Cooks, Restaurant, excluding software Cooks, Restaurant already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Email software | 6 of 20 | 1.0x |
| Microsoft Windows | 5 of 20 | 1.0x |
| SAP software | 4 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Microsoft Access | 3 of 20 | 0.4x |
| Web browser software | 5 of 20 | 0.5x |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 4 of 20 | 0.3x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 1.88 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Food Production | 3.39 | 3.00 |
| English Language | 3.08 | 2.84 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.65 | 2.76 |
| Production and Processing | 2.30 | 1.77 |
| Education and Training | 2.17 | 2.07 |
| Mathematics | 2.13 | 1.39 |
| Administration and Management | 2.08 | 1.69 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.93 | 1.10 |
| Mechanical | 1.80 | 1.09 |
| Chemistry | 1.69 | 1.23 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.67 | 1.06 |
| Transportation | 1.65 | 1.08 |
| Public Safety and Security | 1.57 | 0.86 |
| Computers and Electronics | 1.54 | 0.72 |
| Communications and Media | 1.45 | 0.63 |
| Foreign Language | 1.44 | 0.59 |
| Telecommunications | 1.40 | 0.46 |
| Physics | 1.34 | 0.45 |
| Law and Government | 1.33 | not rated |
| Administrative | 1.31 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.31 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.31 | 0.33 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.25 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.25 | not rated |
| Design | 1.24 | not rated |
| Psychology | 1.17 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.17 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.14 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.12 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.11 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.08 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.06 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.01 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.50 | 3.38 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Oral Expression | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Control Precision | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Sharing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Selective Attention | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Far Vision | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Visualization | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Written Comprehension | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Stamina | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Static Strength | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Written Expression | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Originality | 2.25 | 2.62 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Number Facility | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Reaction Time | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Depth Perception | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Rate Control | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.12 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.12 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Facebook hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- Food safety labeling systems
- Menu planning software
- Point of sale POS restaurant software
- Recipe cost control software
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 1,770 | 2.65 | $49,560 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 3,420 | 2.58 | $35,190 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | 1,730 | 2.33 | $36,820 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | 3,650 | 2.32 | $41,220 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 3,370 | 2.21 | $40,250 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 22,530 | 2.19 | $38,800 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 2,400 | 2.11 | $36,600 |
| Bozeman, MT | 1,370 | 2.09 | $42,430 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 1,760 | 2.07 | $46,930 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 1,230 | 2.04 | $38,760 |