SalaryByCity

Cooks, Restaurant vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Cooks, Restaurant

$36,830

Median annual salary

1,452,130 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn $9,460 more per year than Cooks, Restaurant professionals — that's 25.7% higher. At the 90th percentile, Cooks, Restaurant earns $47,340 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Cooks, Restaurant$28,010 – $47,340
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$28,010$64,150

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileCooks, RestaurantSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$28,010$31,600$-3,590
25th Percentile$31,310$37,770$-6,460
Median (50th)$36,830$46,290$-9,460
75th Percentile$43,610$55,650$-12,040
90th Percentile$47,340$64,150$-16,810
Mean (Average)$37,730$47,640$-9,910

Employment Numbers

Cooks, Restaurant

1,452,130

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Cooks, Restaurant

CityMedian
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$46,970
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$46,960
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$46,180
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$45,230
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$45,040

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Cooks, Restaurant or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $9,460 (25.7% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Cooks, Restaurant?
Cooks, Restaurant salaries range from $28,010 (10th percentile) to $47,340 (90th percentile), with a median of $36,830.
What is the salary range for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Cooks, Restaurant and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,452,130 Cooks, Restaurant positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Cooks, Restaurant?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Cooks, Restaurant has a median salary of $36,830 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS