Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Champaign, IL
Cooks, Restaurant in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area earn a median $36,040 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,499 take-home, or $2,458 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Champaign, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,145
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,234
- Medicare (1.45%)$523
- Illinois income tax$1,639
- Take-home pay$29,499
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Champaign, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,410 | $15.10 | $26,008 | $2,167 |
| 25th percentile | $34,200 | $16.44 | $28,112 | $2,343 |
| Median (50th) | $36,040 | $17.33 | $29,499 | $2,458 |
| 75th percentile | $38,350 | $18.44 | $31,241 | $2,603 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,990 | $21.63 | $36,247 | $3,021 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,040 buys in Champaign, IL
Prices in Champaign, IL are 7.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $29,499 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,821 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 Champaign, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.01).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Champaign, IL ranks #168 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 |
| 168 | Champaign, IL | $36,040 | $29,499 | $31,821 |
*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 Illinois
- Peoria, IL — $36,040
- Springfield, IL — $36,550
- Rockford, IL — $36,200
- Bloomington, IL — $35,310
- Chicago, IL — $38,930
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Champaign, IL?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area is $36,040 a year, or about $17.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,200 and $38,350.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Champaign, IL?
On the median $36,040 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $29,499 a year ($2,458 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,639 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Champaign, IL a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,821 would in a typical U.S. city. Champaign, IL ranks #168 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Champaign, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Champaign, IL is $932 a month ($1,110 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Champaign, IL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,370
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,330
- Food Preparation Worker — $31,850
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,300
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200
- Bartender — $31,200