Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Grand Junction, CO
Cooks, Restaurant in the Grand Junction, CO metro area earn a median $36,420 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,549 take-home, or $2,546 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Grand Junction, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,190
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,258
- Medicare (1.45%)$528
- Colorado income tax$894
- Take-home pay$30,549
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Grand Junction, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,030 | $14.92 | $26,456 | $2,205 |
| 25th percentile | $34,630 | $16.65 | $29,190 | $2,432 |
| Median (50th) | $36,420 | $17.51 | $30,549 | $2,546 |
| 75th percentile | $41,530 | $19.97 | $34,430 | $2,869 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,810 | $22.02 | $37,681 | $3,140 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,420 buys in Grand Junction, CO
Prices in Grand Junction, CO are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 14% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,549 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,997 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 Grand Junction, CO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.13).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Grand Junction, CO ranks #155 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 |
| 155 | Grand Junction, CO | $36,420 | $30,549 | $31,997 |
*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 Colorado
- Denver, CO — $44,370
- Boulder, CO — $42,220
- Pueblo, CO — $35,920
- Fort Collins, CO — $38,370
- Colorado Springs, CO — $38,000
- Greeley, CO — $36,900
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Grand Junction, CO?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Grand Junction, CO metro area is $36,420 a year, or about $17.51 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,630 and $41,530.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Grand Junction, CO?
On the median $36,420 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $30,549 a year ($2,546 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $894 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Grand Junction, CO a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,997 would in a typical U.S. city. Grand Junction, CO ranks #155 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Grand Junction, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Grand Junction, CO is $986 a month ($1,249 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 Grand Junction, CO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,760
- Waiter and Waitress — $43,730
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,510