Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Columbus, OH
Cooks, Restaurant in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $36,590 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,356 take-home, or $2,613 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,211
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,269
- Medicare (1.45%)$531
- Ohio income tax$224
- Take-home pay$31,356
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $915 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $30,441 ($2,537 a month). Choose “Columbus” 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 Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,960 | $13.92 | $25,435 | $2,120 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 | $27,174 | $2,264 |
| Median (50th) | $36,590 | $17.59 | $31,356 | $2,613 |
| 75th percentile | $38,680 | $18.60 | $32,978 | $2,748 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,910 | $22.07 | $38,589 | $3,216 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,590 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,356 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,844 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 Columbus, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.86).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #31 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 |
| 31 | Columbus, OH | $36,590 | $31,356 | $32,844 |
*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
- Cleveland, OH — $37,060
- Toledo, OH — $35,560
- Akron, OH — $36,030
- Dayton, OH — $35,700
- Cincinnati, OH — $36,030
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Columbus, OH?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $36,590 a year, or about $17.59 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,200 and $38,680.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $36,590 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $31,356 a year ($2,613 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $224 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,844 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #31 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 45% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Columbus, OH
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,100
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $37,790
- Waiter and Waitress — $37,490
- Bartender — $37,000
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,930
- Dishwasher — $33,690
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $32,250
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,000
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,670
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $27,650