Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area earn a median $36,130 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,101 take-home, or $2,508 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Pittsburgh, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,156
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,240
- Medicare (1.45%)$524
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,109
- Take-home pay$30,101
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Pittsburgh? City residents also pay Pittsburgh’s 1% city + 2% school district — about $1,084 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $29,017 ($2,418 a month). Choose “Pittsburgh” 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 Pittsburgh, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,930 | $10.54 | $18,996 | $1,583 |
| 25th percentile | $29,230 | $14.05 | $24,769 | $2,064 |
| Median (50th) | $36,130 | $17.37 | $30,101 | $2,508 |
| 75th percentile | $37,440 | $18.00 | $31,114 | $2,593 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,650 | $20.99 | $35,913 | $2,993 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,130 buys in Pittsburgh, PA
Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 5.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,101 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,796 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Pittsburgh, PA has 1.3× the national concentration of cooks, restaurant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Pittsburgh, PA ranks #54 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 |
| 54 | Pittsburgh, PA | $36,130 | $30,101 | $31,796 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, PA — $38,270
- Allentown, PA — $37,120
- Harrisburg, PA — $36,520
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area is $36,130 a year, or about $17.37 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,230 and $37,440.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA?
On the median $36,130 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $30,101 a year ($2,508 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,109 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Pittsburgh, PA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 5.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,796 would in a typical U.S. city. Pittsburgh, PA ranks #54 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Pittsburgh, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Pittsburgh, PA is $1,058 a month ($1,281 for two bedrooms) — 42% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Pittsburgh, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $40,530
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,100
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,470
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $30,260
- Food Preparation Worker — $30,120
- Dishwasher — $30,000
- Bartender — $29,750
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $28,540
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,250