Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Elkhart, IN
Cooks, Restaurant in the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area earn a median $33,770 a year — 10% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,347 take-home, or $2,362 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Elkhart, IN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,872
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,094
- Medicare (1.45%)$490
- Indiana income tax$967
- Take-home pay$28,347
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.95% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Elkhart, IN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,420 | $13.18 | $23,411 | $1,951 |
| 25th percentile | $29,380 | $14.13 | $24,950 | $2,079 |
| Median (50th) | $33,770 | $16.24 | $28,347 | $2,362 |
| 75th percentile | $37,720 | $18.13 | $31,405 | $2,617 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,110 | $20.73 | $35,577 | $2,965 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Indiana resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $33,770 buys in Elkhart, IN
Prices in Elkhart, IN are 9.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 36% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $28,347 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,384 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 Elkhart, IN than nationally (location quotient 0.56), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Elkhart, IN ranks #201 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 |
| 201 | Elkhart, IN | $33,770 | $28,347 | $31,384 |
*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 Indiana
- Indianapolis, IN — $36,610
- Evansville, IN — $34,290
- South Bend, IN — $34,650
- Lafayette, IN — $34,870
- Fort Wayne, IN — $34,490
- Bloomington, IN — $34,910
- Muncie, IN — $30,050
- Terre Haute, IN — $29,830
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Elkhart, IN?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area is $33,770 a year, or about $16.24 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,380 and $37,720.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Elkhart, IN?
On the median $33,770 salary, a single filer living in Indiana takes home about $28,347 a year ($2,362 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $967 in Indiana taxes in 2026.
Is Elkhart, IN a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 10% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 9.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,384 would in a typical U.S. city. Elkhart, IN ranks #201 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Elkhart, IN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Elkhart, IN is $992 a month ($1,183 for two bedrooms) — 42% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Elkhart, IN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,470
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,640
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,300
- Waiter and Waitress — $28,060