Career Atlas USA

Best States for Cooks, Short Order

Ranked by the Career Atlas Opportunity Score, not raw pay — a high-paying state with few jobs or a high cost of living can rank below a more balanced one.

  1. 1Massachusetts79.2 / 100
  2. 2California75.1 / 100
  3. 3District of Columbia73 / 100
  4. 4Vermont70.7 / 100
  5. 5South Dakota68.9 / 100
  6. 6New York61.8 / 100
  7. 7New Mexico60.4 / 100
  8. 8Arizona59.9 / 100
  9. 9Colorado59.6 / 100
  10. 10Maine59.3 / 100
  11. 11Maryland57 / 100
  12. 12Nebraska56.5 / 100
  13. 13New Hampshire55.2 / 100
  14. 14Oregon54.3 / 100
  15. 15Iowa53.3 / 100

Also see highest-paying states (ranked by salary alone).