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What does a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary really buy you in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is 3.8% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Pennsylvania's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 96.2, meaning prices are 3.8% lower the national average. A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria earning $36,540 in Pennsylvania has the equivalent purchasing power of $37,983 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $28,390 | $29,511 | +$1,121 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $31,160 | $32,390 | +$1,230 |
| Median (P50) | $36,540 | $37,983 | +$1,443 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $41,020 | $42,640 | +$1,620 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $46,380 | $48,212 | +$1,832 |
A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Pennsylvania earns $36,540 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $37,983 in an average-cost state. This makes Pennsylvania one of the best value states for this occupation.
With an RPP of 96.2, Pennsylvania is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After applying Pennsylvania's RPP, the $36,540 median salary translates to $37,983 in real terms — a 4.0% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria.
Pennsylvania's rank of #37 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria trails the national half-way line.
Where does Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Pennsylvania ranks #37 out of 51 states for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria take-home pay in Pennsylvania after taxes →
A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Pennsylvania earns a median salary of $36,540 per year. After adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (RPP=96.2), the real purchasing power is $37,983 — a +4.0% difference.
Pennsylvania's cost of living is 3.8% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Pennsylvania is 96.2 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Pennsylvania: $36,540 x (100 / 96.2) = $37,983. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Pennsylvania enjoys 4.0% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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