Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Cleveland, OH
Cooks, Restaurant in the Cleveland, OH metro area earn a median $37,060 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,721 take-home, or $2,643 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Cleveland, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,267
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,298
- Medicare (1.45%)$537
- Ohio income tax$237
- Take-home pay$31,721
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Cleveland? City residents also pay Cleveland’s city income tax — about $927 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $30,794 ($2,566 a month). Choose “Cleveland” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Cleveland, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,790 | $13.36 | $24,495 | $2,041 |
| 25th percentile | $31,840 | $15.31 | $27,670 | $2,306 |
| Median (50th) | $37,060 | $17.82 | $31,721 | $2,643 |
| 75th percentile | $42,170 | $20.27 | $35,686 | $2,974 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,580 | $21.91 | $38,332 | $3,194 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,060 buys in Cleveland, OH
Prices in Cleveland, OH are 6.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,721 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,773 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in Cleveland, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.88).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Cleveland, OH ranks #18 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $37,060 | $31,721 | $33,773 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Toledo, OH — $35,560
- Akron, OH — $36,030
- Dayton, OH — $35,700
- Columbus, OH — $36,590
- Cincinnati, OH — $36,030
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Cleveland, OH?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Cleveland, OH metro area is $37,060 a year, or about $17.82 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,840 and $42,170.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Cleveland, OH?
On the median $37,060 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $31,721 a year ($2,643 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $237 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Cleveland, OH a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 6.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,773 would in a typical U.S. city. Cleveland, OH ranks #18 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Cleveland, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Cleveland, OH is $1,048 a month ($1,268 for two bedrooms) — 40% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Cleveland, OH
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $37,700
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,930
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,260
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,360
- Bartender — $33,470
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $30,350
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,400
- Dishwasher — $29,360
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,750
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $27,060