Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Memphis, TN
Cooks, Restaurant in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn a median $36,340 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,379 take-home, or $2,615 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Memphis, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,181
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,253
- Medicare (1.45%)$527
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$31,379
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro spans Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Memphis, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,030 | $13.00 | $23,869 | $1,989 |
| 25th percentile | $30,460 | $14.64 | $26,655 | $2,221 |
| Median (50th) | $36,340 | $17.47 | $31,379 | $2,615 |
| 75th percentile | $38,930 | $18.72 | $33,460 | $2,788 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,560 | $21.42 | $37,984 | $3,165 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,340 buys in Memphis, TN
Prices in Memphis, TN are 7.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 20% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,379 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,042 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 Memphis, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.86).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Memphis, TN ranks #14 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 |
| 14 | Memphis, TN | $36,340 | $31,379 | $34,042 |
*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 Tennessee
- Nashville, TN — $38,170
- Knoxville, TN — $36,520
- Chattanooga, TN — $36,010
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Memphis, TN?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area is $36,340 a year, or about $17.47 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,460 and $38,930.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Memphis, TN?
On the median $36,340 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $31,379 a year ($2,615 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Memphis, TN a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,042 would in a typical U.S. city. Memphis, TN ranks #14 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Memphis, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Memphis, TN is $1,137 a month ($1,263 for two bedrooms) — 43% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Memphis, TN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $39,620
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,490
- Food Preparation Worker — $27,290
- Waiter and Waitress — $24,550