Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Missouri employs 25,990 Cooks, Restaurant professionals, below the national average concentration.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025 • Missouri employment outlook • Updated 2026-05-19
The location quotient (LQ) of 0.94 indicates that Missouri has an average concentration of Cooks, Restaurant professionals, similar to the national average employment distribution.
Note: Location Quotient (LQ) is the ratio of the percentage of workers in an occupation in a given area to the percentage in that occupation nationwide. An LQ > 1.0 means above-average concentration; < 1.0 means below-average.
The average annual salary for a Cooks, Restaurant in Missouri is $38,460. For a detailed breakdown by percentile, entry-level, median, and senior salaries, see the comprehensive salary guide below.
Missouri employs approximately 25,990 Cooks, Restaurant professionals (2025 BLS data). This ranks Missouri for this occupation nationwide.
Missouri has average or below-average concentration of Cooks, Restaurant jobs (LQ: 0.94). A Location Quotient above 1.0 indicates higher-than-average demand.
The average (mean) salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Missouri is $38460/year. See our detailed salary page for percentile breakdowns.
Location Quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is in a state compared to the national average. LQ > 1.0 means the state has more of that job proportionally. LQ > 1.2 indicates strong demand.
The top state for Cooks, Restaurant employment is California with 152,250 jobs.
Explore cost of living, median household income, and demographics for Missouri's largest cities.
Compare tuition, admissions, and graduate outcomes at Missouri's leading institutions.
Compare Cooks, Restaurant labor-market data (jobs, location quotient, salary) across the top-employing states.
Drill deeper into Cooks, Restaurant pay, hiring, and education data for Missouri.
Employment and location quotient data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. This data reflects total employment, jobs per 1,000 workers, location quotient, and average salary for Cooks, Restaurant (SOC 352014) in Missouri.