Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Baton Rouge, LA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Baton Rouge, LA metro area earn a median $29,910 a year — 20% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,702 take-home, or $2,142 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Baton Rouge, LA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,409
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,854
- Medicare (1.45%)$434
- Louisiana income tax$511
- Take-home pay$25,702
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Baton Rouge, LA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,410 | $10.77 | $19,779 | $1,648 |
| 25th percentile | $27,240 | $13.10 | $23,611 | $1,968 |
| Median (50th) | $29,910 | $14.38 | $25,702 | $2,142 |
| 75th percentile | $36,430 | $17.51 | $30,745 | $2,562 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,290 | $20.33 | $35,278 | $2,940 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Louisiana resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,910 buys in Baton Rouge, LA
Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 9.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 26% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $25,702 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,312 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 Baton Rouge, LA than nationally (location quotient 0.65), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Baton Rouge, LA ranks #314 of 327 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima, WA | $44,390 | $37,847 | $39,612 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon, WA | $46,450 | $39,503 | $38,561 |
| 3 | Kennewick, WA | $45,280 | $38,562 | $38,532 |
| 4 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $37,762 | $38,395 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $46,460 | $39,511 | $37,413 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $45,370 | $38,635 | $37,388 |
| 8 | Pittsfield, MA | $43,970 | $35,531 | $37,360 |
| 314 | Baton Rouge, LA | $29,910 | $25,702 | $28,312 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 327 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Louisiana
- Shreveport, LA — $28,440
- Lake Charles, LA — $28,550
- New Orleans, LA — $30,520
- Houma, LA — $27,690
- Monroe, LA — $27,090
- Hammond, LA — $27,130
- Lafayette, LA — $27,660
- Slidell, LA — $29,050
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Baton Rouge, LA metro area is $29,910 a year, or about $14.38 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,240 and $36,430.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA?
On the median $29,910 salary, a single filer living in Louisiana takes home about $25,702 a year ($2,142 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $511 in Louisiana taxes in 2026.
Is Baton Rouge, LA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 20% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 9.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,312 would in a typical U.S. city. Baton Rouge, LA ranks #314 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Baton Rouge, LA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baton Rouge, LA is $1,048 a month ($1,187 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Baton Rouge, LA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $37,380
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,230
- Dishwasher — $27,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $24,740
- Food Preparation Worker — $24,450
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $23,650
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $22,430
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $21,640
- Bartender — $20,640
- Waiter and Waitress — $15,080