FederalPay.org
Cook - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Cook"
How much does a Cook in the federal government get paid? $61,137.55* *Based on the 2022 average.Cook was the 79th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 3,284 employed. The most common payscale was the supervisory pay schedules - federal wage system payscale.
In 2022, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Cooking, with an average salary of $50,326.
Government Cooking jobs are classified under the Federal Wage Schedule, Wage Grade (FWS) payscale. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This standard covers nonsupervisory work involved in the preparation of regular or special diet foods and meals. This includes cooking meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, and vegetables and making soups, gravies, sauces, desserts, and other foods. Cooks use standardized recipes and menus and personal knowledge and experience to measure, assemble, and mix ingredients; regulate cooking temperatures; and add seasoning to foods. They use specialized knowledge and skill to design and prepare decorated foods and aesthetic food arrangements. This includes techniques to mold food items into various forms, carve fruits and vegetables into various shapes, and create ice sculptures.
Agencies that have hired a Cook
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 1,563 | $50,326.18 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 1,270 | $76,976.80 |
| 185 | $21,768.66 | |
| Indian Health Service | 117 | $52,439.25 |
| Forest Service | 97 | $52,190.55 |
| Indian Affairs | 17 | $46,612.41 |
| National Institutes of Health | 15 | $57,505.47 |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency | 15 | $63,323.80 |
| Bureau of Land Management | 4 | $78,205.25 |
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1 | $71,083.00 |
Cook Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Cook is $61,137.55. The highest paid Cook made $100,280 in 2022.
Common Cook Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Cooking Employees |
|---|---|
| WS - Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 1,551 |
| WG - Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 1,302 |
| NA - Nonappropriated Funds - Nonsupervisory And Nonleader - Federal Wage System | 204 |
| * - Invalid | 175 |
| WL - Leader Pay Schedule - Federal Wage System | 27 |
| NL - Nonappropriated Funds - Leader - Federal Wage System | 18 |
| NS - Nonappropriated Funds - Supervisory - Federal Wage System | 7 |
| Occupation Family: | FOOD PREPARATION AND SERVING FAMILY |
Average Cooking Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for a Cook was $42,128. Since then, the average pay has increased to $61,138 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 7404.