Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Detroit, MI
Cooks, Restaurant in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $37,410 a year — 0% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,900 take-home, or $2,575 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,309
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,319
- Medicare (1.45%)$542
- Michigan income tax$1,339
- Take-home pay$30,900
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $898 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $30,002 ($2,500 a month). Choose “Detroit” 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 Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,620 | $14.24 | $24,972 | $2,081 |
| 25th percentile | $35,570 | $17.10 | $29,500 | $2,458 |
| Median (50th) | $37,410 | $17.99 | $30,900 | $2,575 |
| 75th percentile | $43,440 | $20.88 | $35,489 | $2,957 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,960 | $22.58 | $38,167 | $3,181 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,410 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,900 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,808 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 Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.95).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #85 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 |
| 85 | Detroit, MI | $37,410 | $30,900 | $30,808 |
*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 Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $37,360
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Detroit, MI?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $37,410 a year, or about $17.99 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,570 and $43,440.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $37,410 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $30,900 a year ($2,575 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,339 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 0% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,808 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #85 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 44% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,870
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Waiter and Waitress — $37,490
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,360
- Bartender — $36,780
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,170
- Dishwasher — $34,350
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,060
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,760
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,810
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,590
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,290