15 of the Best Types of Cook Jobs in 2026

Discover some great types of Cook jobs that are hiring now.

High Paying Cook Jobs

• Freelance Cook

  Salary range: $50,500 - $128,500

  Freelancers are self-employed. As a freelancer, you provide work to clients and invoice them for it. The type of clients you have depends on what kind of services you offer. Your clients can be individuals or companies. A full-time freelancer often has assignments from multiple clients at once. Some common services that people provide as freelancers are: writing, editing, graphic design, web design, marketing, programming, accounting, and bookkeeping. Freelancing is ideal for those who prefer to be their own boss and are willing to market themselves to meet their income goals.

• Cook Manager

  Salary range: $49,500 - $70,000

  Managers supervise a team of people; they establish goals, assign tasks, and measure progress. The specific responsibilities of someone in a management position will vary based on the company and industry they work in, but their primary responsibilities remain largely the same. Managers monitor the accomplishments of their staff, focusing on the overall goals of the department. They work with Human Resources to determine and address staffing needs, coordinate and delegate responsibilities, check employee performance, and provide additional training and direction when necessary.

• Apprentice Cook

  Salary range: $29,000 - $41,000

  Apprentice Cook is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Apprentice Cook jobs pay between $29,000 (25th percentile) and $41,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Apprentice Cook job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Senior Cook

  Salary range: $29,500 - $38,000

  Senior Cook is a typical job search query. Most salaries for Senior Cook jobs pay between $29,500 (25th percentile) and $38,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Senior Cook job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Entry Level Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  Entry-level jobs are positions that do not require any previous experience in the role. Most entry-level jobs are aimed at high school or college graduates as a starting point for a future career goal. A college student may have majored in their ideal career field, but will still need to start in an entry-level position to train in a real-world environment. Some students move from internships into entry-level jobs, but most entry-level jobs do not expect a candidate to have any prior employment or on-site training.

• Union Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  For those who work for unions, some of the specific jobs include researchers, organizers, administrators, lawyers, communications workers, and clerical staff. Your duties include entering workplaces to speak with workers and provide them encouragement and support if they are interested in joining a specific union, or to negotiate with employers for better working conditions, pay, or benefits for union members. There are numerous types of unions, including health care, public sector, construction, writing, and service workers unions, and they represent a variety of professions, such as nurses, journalists, manufacturers, construction workers, municipal workers, and hotel workers, to name only a few.

• Cook Internship

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  An Internship is a position within your desired field that pays little or no money but offers you the opportunity to gain real-world experience. This may set you apart for your future job search. Generally, Internships are almost expected by employers on an entry-level candidate’s resume. You are much more of an asset to an employer if you have some work experience.

• Live In Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  Live In Cook is a typical job search query. Most salaries for Live In Cook jobs pay between $28,000 (25th percentile) and $37,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Live In Cook job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Temporary Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  A Temporary job is an employment arrangement in which both parties, the employee and employer, agree in advance that the position will be filled for a set period. Temporary jobs often are based on employers’ seasonal or specific project needs. Occasionally, Temporary employees will be offered ongoing, full-time positions if their performance is excellent and a position is available. However, you should not assume this will be the case.

• On Call Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  When most people think of on-call jobs, medical professionals and first responders typically come to mind. For first responders, like firefighters and EMTs, on-call usually means you are sleeping at the station, ready to wake up and respond to a call quickly. Medical workers, on the other hand, may work a more traditional on-call schedule. While some nurses and doctors may sleep at the hospital, especially during their residency, you may also have an on-call shift where you can leave and go home, potentially never actually coming back. If you want a career as a nurse or doctor but do not like this unpredictability, rest assured that the chance of having on-call shifts decreases as you gain seniority and advanced qualifications. Repair workers like electricians may also work on-call. You may occasionally find on-call jobs in retail or customer service sectors, but this is not as common.

• Full Time Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  Full-time employment hours are generally determined by the employer. There is no single universal definition; however, various laws and policies govern different types of eligibility and statuses. For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act does not define full-time employment but does require overtime pay after 40 hours of work in a workweek for non-exempt employees. The Affordable Care Act, in determining Applicable Large Employers, defines full-time employees as those working an average of at least 30 hours per week, or 130 hours a month. The H-1B Visa Program defines full-time as 40 hours per week, normally, and in no event would less than 35 hours per week be considered to be full-time employment. In practice, full-time employment is typically between 32 and 40 hours per week.

• Temp Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  Temp Cook is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Temp Cook jobs pay between $28,000 (25th percentile) and $37,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Temp Cook job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Journeyman Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  Journeyman Cook is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Journeyman Cook jobs pay between $28,000 (25th percentile) and $37,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Journeyman Cook job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Per Diem Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  Per diem jobs are short-term positions which are paid by the day. The most common per diem job opportunities are in the medical field, including positions in nursing, hospice, pediatrics, and midwifery. Phlebotomists, operating (OR) assistants, and pharmacists may also work on a per diem basis. Per diem employees are often contracted to work as admissions coordinators, recreation coordinators, and assistants.

• From Home Cook

  Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500

  From Home Cook is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for From Home Cook jobs pay between $28,000 (25th percentile) and $37,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for From Home Cook job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.