Cooks salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£17,885
Typical Annual pay range
Understanding Cooks pay in the UK
The typical cooks in the UK earns a median salary of £17,885 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of cooks earnings fall between £12,752 and £22,817 a year. That is a wide range, a sign that pay climbs steeply with experience, specialism and employer, so the median is a starting point rather than a ceiling.
Where you work changes the picture: cooks pay ranges from £9,919 in West Midlands up to £20,553 in North East, a difference of £10,634 (107%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see cooks pay in North East or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
North East is the highest-paying region for cooks at £20,553 — 15% above the UK median. West Midlands is lowest at £9,919.
UK median £17,885
| Region | Median payUK median £17,885 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | £20,553 | £20,553 | £19,856 | +15% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £19,373 | £19,373 | £19,224 | +8% |
| Scotland | £18,535 | £18,535 | £18,299 | +4% |
| Wales | £17,717 | £17,717 | £18,343 | -1% |
| South West | £16,112 | £16,112 | £16,371 | -10% |
| London | £14,663 | £14,663 | £15,312 | -18% |
| North West | £13,541 | £13,541 | £12,766 | -24% |
| South East | £12,143 | £12,143 | £13,650 | -32% |
| East Midlands | £11,942 | £11,942 | £12,165 | -33% |
| East of England | £10,599 | £10,599 | £12,731 | -41% |
| West Midlands | £9,919 | £9,919 | £11,799 | -45% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| North East £20,553 | £20,553Mean £19,856 | +15% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £19,373 | £19,373Mean £19,224 | +8% |
| Scotland £18,535 | £18,535Mean £18,299 | +4% |
| Wales £17,717 | £17,717Mean £18,343 | -1% |
| South West £16,112 | £16,112Mean £16,371 | -10% |
| London £14,663 | £14,663Mean £15,312 | -18% |
| North West £13,541 | £13,541Mean £12,766 | -24% |
| South East £12,143 | £12,143Mean £13,650 | -32% |
| East Midlands £11,942 | £11,942Mean £12,165 | -33% |
| East of England £10,599 | £10,599Mean £12,731 | -41% |
| West Midlands £9,919 | £9,919Mean £11,799 | -45% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£17,885); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local cooks pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow cooks pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for cooks by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
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