Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Omaha, NE
Cooks, Restaurant in the Omaha, NE-IA metro area earn a median $37,840 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,742 take-home, or $2,645 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Omaha, NE. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,361
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,346
- Medicare (1.45%)$549
- Nebraska income tax$842
- Take-home pay$31,742
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.55% state
The Omaha, NE-IA metro spans Nebraska, Iowa. 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 Omaha, NE
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,020 | $14.43 | $25,777 | $2,148 |
| 25th percentile | $35,110 | $16.88 | $29,673 | $2,473 |
| Median (50th) | $37,840 | $18.19 | $31,742 | $2,645 |
| 75th percentile | $43,510 | $20.92 | $36,040 | $3,003 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,440 | $21.85 | $37,503 | $3,125 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Nebraska resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,840 buys in Omaha, NE
Prices in Omaha, NE are 8.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 14% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,742 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,536 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 less concentrated in Omaha, NE than nationally (location quotient 0.63), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Omaha, NE ranks #7 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 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Omaha, NE?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Omaha, NE-IA metro area is $37,840 a year, or about $18.19 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,110 and $43,510.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Omaha, NE?
On the median $37,840 salary, a single filer living in Nebraska takes home about $31,742 a year ($2,645 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $842 in Nebraska taxes in 2026.
Is Omaha, NE a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 8.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,536 would in a typical U.S. city. Omaha, NE ranks #7 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Omaha, NE?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Omaha, NE is $1,144 a month ($1,362 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 Omaha, NE
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $40,740
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,140
- Bartender — $34,630
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,290
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,450