Cooks, Short Order salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Cooks, Short Order in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area earn a median of $35,920 a year ($17.27 an hour), based on BLS data for 110 workers.
Pay ranges from $33,540 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,580 for the top 10%. That is about the same as the national median of $35,880. Pay here is 12% lower than the New Jersey statewide median of $40,720. There are 0.46 cooks, short order per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.51). The average (mean) salary is $38,320, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, short order in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,540 | $16.13 |
| 25th percentile | $33,540 | $16.13 |
| Median | $35,920 | $17.27 |
| 75th percentile | $40,690 | $19.56 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,580 | $21.43 |
| Average (mean) | $38,320 | $18.43 |
Half of cooks, short order earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,993.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,496.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,381.54 |
| Weekly | $690.77 |
| Hourly | $17.27 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $35,920 salary, see how much house you can afford in New Jersey at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $35,360 | 9,990 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $33,400 | n/a |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $31,940 | 160 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $31,360 | 1,340 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, short order
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 |
| California | $42,930 |
| Washington | $42,760 |
| Colorado | $42,450 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 |
See Cooks, Short Order pay in every state or the New Jersey statewide figures.
Related jobs in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,950 | $17.28 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $38,400 | $18.46 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $42,960 | $20.65 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,720 | $16.69 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $38,070 | $18.30 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Bartender | $38,800 | $18.66 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,860 | $16.76 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $70,210 | $33.75 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,740 | $17.18 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,830 | $16.74 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $43,350 | $20.84 |
| Dishwasher | $35,360 | $17.00 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2015. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, short order make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median salary for cooks, short order in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area is $35,920 a year, or $17.27 an hour. Pay ranges from $33,540 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,580 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, short order make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The top 10% of cooks, short order in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area earn at least $44,580 a year. The top 25% earn $40,690 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, short order in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $33,540 a year, and a quarter of cooks, short order earn $33,540 or less.
How many cooks, short order work in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
About 110 cooks, short order are employed in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, not counting the self-employed.