What is a mess cook and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a mess cook. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.48 an hour? That's $34,276 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 16% and produce 419,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreMess CookUS Average
Salary
2.7

Avg. Salary $34,276

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.6

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.24%

Asian 6.23%

Black or African American 14.01%

Hispanic or Latino 24.71%

Unknown 4.91%

White 48.92%

Gender

female 19.05%

male 80.95%

Age - 37
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37
Stress Level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
5.0

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.5

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a mess cook

  1. Explore mess cook education requirements

    Most common mess cook degrees

    High School Diploma

    36.4 %

    Associate

    36.4 %

    Bachelor's

    18.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific mess cook skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Kitchen Equipment52.71%
    Food Service37.68%
    Mix Ingredients9.61%
  3. Complete relevant mess cook training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New mess cooks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a mess cook based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real mess cook resumes.
  4. Research mess cook duties and responsibilities

    • Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
    • Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
    • Maintain and follow proper hygiene and sanitation standards.
  5. Apply for mess cook jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a mess cook job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Mess Cook Job

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Average mess cook salary

The average Mess Cook salary in the United States is $34,276 per year or $16 per hour. Mess cook salaries range between $27,000 and $42,000 per year.

Average Mess Cook Salary
$34,276 Yearly
$16.48 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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