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Boston Career Explorer

Food Preparation and Serving Related

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Also called: Cafeteria Cook, Cook, Dietary Cook, Dinner Cook, Food Service Specialist, Food Service Worker

Compare with my current job (Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$48,530
$23.33/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
5,310
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+4.7%
1,160 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
No formal educational credential
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$39,890$45,970$48,530$54,910$59,090

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
  • Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
  • Rotate and store food supplies.
  • Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
  • Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
  • Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure27 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 29
  • Language-model AIOE 32
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 20

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is lower, and observed AI use is little or none. Tools may help with tracking food temperatures and menu planning. Cooking in large batches, serving people, and cleaning up are hands-on work that AI tools do not touch.

Likely to change

  • Recording food temperatures
  • Tracking food supplies and portions

Still relies on people

  • Cooking large batches by hand
  • Serving food to people directly

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Butchers and Meat Cutters

    Food safety and preparing food in volume carry over. This job pays $48,910 in Boston with lower AI exposure.

    Pay difference
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    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +2.5%
    To get started
    No formal educational credential

  • Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

    Working with equipment and keeping spaces clean and safe carry over. Boston pay is $59,670.

    Pay difference
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  • Industrial Machinery Mechanics

    Knowing how kitchen and production equipment works carries over. This job pays $75,200 in Boston, with 17.1% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$26,670 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
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    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

2 programs near Boston (plus 1 graduate)

Related occupations

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