Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Houston, TX
Cooks, Restaurant in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $35,050 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,343 take-home, or $2,529 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,026
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,173
- Medicare (1.45%)$508
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$30,343
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $24,600 | $11.83 | $21,868 | $1,822 |
| 25th percentile | $28,290 | $13.60 | $24,907 | $2,076 |
| Median (50th) | $35,050 | $16.85 | $30,343 | $2,529 |
| 75th percentile | $37,090 | $17.83 | $31,982 | $2,665 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $38,370 | $18.45 | $33,010 | $2,751 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,050 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,343 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,764 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 Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #87 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 |
| 87 | Houston, TX | $35,050 | $30,343 | $30,764 |
*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 Texas
- Austin, TX — $36,810
- San Antonio, TX — $34,860
- Dallas, TX — $36,490
- McAllen, TX — $28,380
- El Paso, TX — $28,990
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Houston, TX?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $35,050 a year, or about $16.85 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,290 and $37,090.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $35,050 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $30,343 a year ($2,529 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,764 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #87 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 52% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Chef and Head Cook — $45,400
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,410
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $35,660
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,020
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $29,050
- Dishwasher — $28,600
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,570
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $26,730
- Cooks, Fast Food — $23,090
- Bartender — $22,770
- Waiter and Waitress — $22,080
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $21,850