Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Lincoln, NE
Cooks, Restaurant in the Lincoln, NE metro area earn a median $37,290 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,325 take-home, or $2,610 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Lincoln, NE. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,295
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,312
- Medicare (1.45%)$541
- Nebraska income tax$817
- Take-home pay$31,325
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.55% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Lincoln, NE
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,580 | $14.22 | $25,439 | $2,120 |
| 25th percentile | $34,990 | $16.82 | $29,582 | $2,465 |
| Median (50th) | $37,290 | $17.93 | $31,325 | $2,610 |
| 75th percentile | $42,380 | $20.38 | $35,184 | $2,932 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,210 | $21.25 | $36,571 | $3,048 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Nebraska resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,290 buys in Lincoln, NE
Prices in Lincoln, NE are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 16% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,325 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,205 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 Lincoln, NE than nationally (location quotient 0.54), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Lincoln, NE ranks #41 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 |
| 41 | Lincoln, NE | $37,290 | $31,325 | $34,205 |
*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 Nebraska
- Omaha, NE — $37,840
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Lincoln, NE?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Lincoln, NE metro area is $37,290 a year, or about $17.93 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,990 and $42,380.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Lincoln, NE?
On the median $37,290 salary, a single filer living in Nebraska takes home about $31,325 a year ($2,610 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $817 in Nebraska taxes in 2026.
Is Lincoln, NE a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,205 would in a typical U.S. city. Lincoln, NE ranks #41 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Lincoln, NE?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Lincoln, NE is $917 a month ($1,132 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Lincoln, NE
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,230
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,830
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,080
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,210
- Bartender — $30,660
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $29,480
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,430
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,510
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $28,150