Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Knoxville, TN
Cooks, Restaurant in the Knoxville, TN metro area earn a median $36,520 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,524 take-home, or $2,627 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Knoxville, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,202
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,264
- Medicare (1.45%)$530
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$31,524
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Knoxville, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,860 | $13.39 | $24,553 | $2,046 |
| 25th percentile | $30,630 | $14.73 | $26,791 | $2,233 |
| Median (50th) | $36,520 | $17.56 | $31,524 | $2,627 |
| 75th percentile | $38,560 | $18.54 | $33,163 | $2,764 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,220 | $21.74 | $38,514 | $3,210 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,520 buys in Knoxville, TN
Prices in Knoxville, TN are 7.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 17% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,524 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,054 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 Knoxville, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.99).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Knoxville, TN ranks #13 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 |
| 13 | Knoxville, TN | $36,520 | $31,524 | $34,054 |
*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 Tennessee
- Nashville, TN — $38,170
- Memphis, TN — $36,340
- Chattanooga, TN — $36,010
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Knoxville, TN?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Knoxville, TN metro area is $36,520 a year, or about $17.56 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,630 and $38,560.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Knoxville, TN?
On the median $36,520 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $31,524 a year ($2,627 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Knoxville, TN a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,054 would in a typical U.S. city. Knoxville, TN ranks #13 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Knoxville, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Knoxville, TN is $1,126 a month ($1,401 for two bedrooms) — 43% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Knoxville, TN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $41,380
- Food Preparation Worker — $30,960
- Waiter and Waitress — $28,100
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,720