$ PaycheckDecoded

Cooks, Restaurant Salary

Cooks, Restaurant earn a median $37,390 a year nationally. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

U.S. median
$37,390
$17.98 per hour
Range
$28,700 – $47,900
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
1,409,890
across the U.S.

Cooks, Restaurant take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Cooks, Restaurant
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$32,223
per year · effective tax rate 13.8%
$2,685Monthly
$1,343Twice a month
$1,239Every 2 weeks
$15.49Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,307
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,318
  • Medicare (1.45%)$542
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$32,223

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)$28,700$13.80$25,240
25th percentile$34,010$16.35$29,507
Median (50th)$37,390$17.98$32,223
75th percentile$44,620$21.45$38,032
90th percentile (top earners)$47,900$23.03$40,668

Best cities for cooks, restaurant (after tax & cost of living)

#Metro areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Yakima, WA$44,390$37,847$39,612680
2Mount Vernon, WA$46,450$39,503$38,561590
3Kennewick, WA$45,280$38,562$38,5321,150
4Barnstable Town, MA$46,930$37,762$38,3951,760
5Spokane, WA$44,230$37,719$37,5892,490
6Bremerton, WA$46,460$39,511$37,4131,090
7Bellingham, WA$45,370$38,635$37,3881,090
8Pittsfield, MA$43,970$35,531$37,360630
9Burlington, VT$45,390$37,564$37,211950
10Olympia, WA$44,960$38,305$36,9491,090
11Portland, ME$46,560$37,630$36,9432,730
12Grand Forks, ND$36,800$31,749$36,635560
13Wenatchee, WA$44,550$37,976$36,566780
14Seattle, WA$47,730$40,531$36,47120,850
15Wildwood, FL$35,920$31,042$36,338560
16Kahului, HI$49,560$39,749$36,3361,770
17Amherst Town, MA$44,680$36,066$35,979540
18Jackson, TN$35,490$30,696$35,893490
19Sioux Falls, SD$37,310$32,159$35,483690
20Sioux City, IA$36,270$30,596$35,390560
21Fargo, ND$37,020$31,926$35,1331,560
22San Jose, CA$47,170$38,588$34,9468,900
23Kingston, NY$43,150$35,118$34,871750
24Worcester, MA$44,250$35,742$34,8632,490
25Rochester, MN$38,150$31,611$34,8061,060

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Cooks, Restaurant salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Washington $46,800$39,784 $37,940 – $57,91035,140
District of Columbia $46,130$37,644 $36,440 – $53,0207,720
Massachusetts $45,600$36,760 $36,540 – $58,59029,570
Hawaii $45,420$36,721 $35,740 – $65,32011,090
Vermont $45,390$37,564 $31,210 – $56,1802,360
Maine $45,290$36,695 $38,040 – $49,5305,130
California $44,880$36,873 $37,100 – $55,580152,250
New York $43,680$35,515 $34,490 – $54,24071,530
Oregon $43,100$33,869 $36,080 – $58,28021,550
Colorado $41,600$34,484 $34,590 – $49,65030,600
New Hampshire $40,200$34,481 $34,390 – $49,4007,190
Alaska $40,140$34,432 $36,230 – $46,8002,350
Connecticut $39,480$33,051 $35,460 – $49,42014,830
Arizona $38,670$32,493 $33,250 – $46,24030,870
Nevada $38,610$33,203 $30,300 – $56,54027,250
Minnesota $38,590$31,941 $31,280 – $47,85026,080
New Jersey $38,460$32,454 $32,220 – $50,01028,800
Montana $38,060$31,729 $29,380 – $47,6707,580
Delaware $37,840$31,161 $31,250 – $46,9405,280
Maryland $37,820$31,136 $35,030 – $47,84017,690
Illinois $37,580$30,660 $31,200 – $46,46053,540
Nebraska $37,030$31,128 $28,680 – $44,8804,750
Florida $37,020$31,926 $29,710 – $46,450124,040
Michigan $36,980$30,573 $29,570 – $46,03039,100
Missouri $36,940$31,062 $28,890 – $46,97025,990
Wyoming $36,830$31,773 $27,850 – $52,5302,710
Virginia $36,750$30,410 $29,340 – $45,74040,310
Pennsylvania $36,580$30,449 $22,650 – $45,12054,100
Wisconsin $36,550$30,721 $28,010 – $46,27025,410
Rhode Island $36,510$30,764 $31,840 – $49,4506,950
Utah $36,490$30,824 $28,800 – $46,58010,520
North Dakota $36,470$31,484 $28,850 – $45,6504,490
Idaho $36,440$30,637 $25,470 – $47,0208,130
Tennessee $36,420$31,443 $27,910 – $45,65028,220
South Dakota $36,220$31,283 $30,140 – $44,9901,890
Georgia $35,940$29,815 $24,160 – $43,21046,350
South Carolina $35,740$29,910 $26,200 – $45,68025,890
Iowa $35,670$30,137 $28,690 – $44,46012,270
Ohio $35,540$30,541 $27,590 – $44,94046,910
North Carolina $35,400$29,720 $27,980 – $45,45050,150
Indiana $35,170$29,431 $26,000 – $44,19026,960
Kansas $35,130$29,244 $26,120 – $44,54011,620
New Mexico $35,020$29,780 $28,100 – $43,4007,810
Texas $34,760$30,110 $23,330 – $42,810126,620
Kentucky $34,640$28,918 $24,750 – $43,75013,510
Alabama $32,180$26,693 $24,170 – $39,22016,260
Oklahoma $31,720$26,785 $22,850 – $44,17017,050
Arkansas $30,180$25,465 $26,020 – $37,14011,270
West Virginia $29,590$25,203 $22,180 – $38,0106,450
Mississippi $29,560$25,481 $22,010 – $36,88010,770
Louisiana $29,050$25,036 $21,970 – $39,54014,910

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cooks, restaurant make?

The national median salary for cooks, restaurant is $37,390 a year ($17.98 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $28,700 and the top 10% earn over $47,900. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays cooks, restaurant the most?

Washington has the highest median pay at $46,800. After taxes and local prices, Yakima, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many cooks, restaurant are there in the U.S.?

About 1,409,890 people work as cooks, restaurant nationwide.

All 327 cities