Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Dayton, OH
Cooks, Restaurant in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metro area earn a median $35,700 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,666 take-home, or $2,555 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Dayton, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,104
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,213
- Medicare (1.45%)$518
- Ohio income tax$199
- Take-home pay$30,666
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Dayton, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,920 | $13.90 | $25,404 | $2,117 |
| 25th percentile | $30,910 | $14.86 | $26,949 | $2,246 |
| Median (50th) | $35,700 | $17.16 | $30,666 | $2,555 |
| 75th percentile | $36,890 | $17.74 | $31,589 | $2,632 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,360 | $20.85 | $36,610 | $3,051 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,700 buys in Dayton, OH
Prices in Dayton, OH are 7.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 27% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,666 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,083 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 Dayton, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.88).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Dayton, OH ranks #91 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 |
| 91 | Dayton, OH | $35,700 | $30,666 | $33,083 |
*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 Ohio
- Canton, OH — $35,600
- Sandusky, OH — $35,250
- Cleveland, OH — $37,060
- Toledo, OH — $35,560
- Akron, OH — $36,030
- Columbus, OH — $36,590
- Cincinnati, OH — $36,030
- Youngstown, OH — $32,150
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Dayton, OH?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metro area is $35,700 a year, or about $17.16 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,910 and $36,890.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Dayton, OH?
On the median $35,700 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $30,666 a year ($2,555 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $199 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Dayton, OH a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,083 would in a typical U.S. city. Dayton, OH ranks #91 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Dayton, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Dayton, OH is $1,009 a month ($1,273 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Dayton, OH
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,680
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,680
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,600
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,110
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $31,200
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,020
- Bartender — $29,830
- Dishwasher — $29,580
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,680
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $26,990
- Cooks, Fast Food — $26,950