Cooks, Restaurant Salary in New Orleans, LA
Cooks, Restaurant in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area earn a median $30,520 a year — 18% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $26,173 take-home, or $2,181 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in New Orleans, LA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,482
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,892
- Medicare (1.45%)$443
- Louisiana income tax$529
- Take-home pay$26,173
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in New Orleans, LA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,000 | $11.06 | $20,247 | $1,687 |
| 25th percentile | $28,190 | $13.55 | $24,365 | $2,030 |
| Median (50th) | $30,520 | $14.67 | $26,173 | $2,181 |
| 75th percentile | $37,740 | $18.14 | $31,758 | $2,647 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,860 | $21.09 | $36,492 | $3,041 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Louisiana resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $30,520 buys in New Orleans, LA
Prices in New Orleans, LA are 7.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 14% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $26,173 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,266 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 New Orleans, LA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.17).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
New Orleans, LA ranks #100 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 |
| 100 | New Orleans, LA | $30,520 | $26,173 | $28,266 |
*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 Louisiana
- Baton Rouge, LA — $29,910
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in New Orleans, LA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area is $30,520 a year, or about $14.67 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,190 and $37,740.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in New Orleans, LA?
On the median $30,520 salary, a single filer living in Louisiana takes home about $26,173 a year ($2,181 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $529 in Louisiana taxes in 2026.
Is New Orleans, LA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 18% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,266 would in a typical U.S. city. New Orleans, LA ranks #100 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in New Orleans, LA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New Orleans, LA is $1,105 a month ($1,323 for two bedrooms) — 51% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New Orleans, LA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,130
- Food Preparation Worker — $26,200
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $25,470
- Bartender — $21,230
- Waiter and Waitress — $16,640