Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Lancaster, PA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Lancaster, PA metro area earn a median $36,500 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,387 take-home, or $2,532 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Lancaster, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,200
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,263
- Medicare (1.45%)$529
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,121
- Take-home pay$30,387
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Lancaster, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,290 | $11.20 | $20,074 | $1,673 |
| 25th percentile | $29,630 | $14.25 | $25,078 | $2,090 |
| Median (50th) | $36,500 | $17.55 | $30,387 | $2,532 |
| 75th percentile | $38,580 | $18.55 | $31,995 | $2,666 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,890 | $21.58 | $36,871 | $3,073 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,500 buys in Lancaster, PA
Prices in Lancaster, PA are 1.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 6% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,387 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,926 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 Lancaster, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.98).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Lancaster, PA ranks #231 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 |
| 231 | Lancaster, PA | $36,500 | $30,387 | $30,926 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Lebanon, PA — $36,250
- Altoona, PA — $34,210
- Pittsburgh, PA — $36,130
- York, PA — $36,310
- Scranton, PA — $34,870
- State College, PA — $35,990
- Philadelphia, PA — $38,270
- Reading, PA — $36,020
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Lancaster, PA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Lancaster, PA metro area is $36,500 a year, or about $17.55 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,630 and $38,580.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Lancaster, PA?
On the median $36,500 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $30,387 a year ($2,532 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,121 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Lancaster, PA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 1.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,926 would in a typical U.S. city. Lancaster, PA ranks #231 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Lancaster, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Lancaster, PA is $1,220 a month ($1,526 for two bedrooms) — 48% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Lancaster, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $43,250
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,040
- Waiter and Waitress — $32,190
- Food Preparation Worker — $31,580
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $30,660
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,520
- Dishwasher — $29,140
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,580
- Bartender — $28,280
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $28,120
- Cooks, Fast Food — $27,260