Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Little Rock, AR
Cooks, Restaurant in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area earn a median $30,690 a year — 18% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,855 take-home, or $2,155 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Little Rock, AR. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,503
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,903
- Medicare (1.45%)$445
- Arkansas income tax$984
- Take-home pay$25,855
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.90% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Little Rock, AR
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,150 | $13.05 | $23,122 | $1,927 |
| 25th percentile | $28,570 | $13.74 | $24,234 | $2,020 |
| Median (50th) | $30,690 | $14.75 | $25,855 | $2,155 |
| 75th percentile | $35,420 | $17.03 | $29,471 | $2,456 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,140 | $17.86 | $30,786 | $2,566 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Arkansas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $30,690 buys in Little Rock, AR
Prices in Little Rock, AR are 10.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 32% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $25,855 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,932 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 Little Rock, AR as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Little Rock, AR ranks #97 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 |
| 97 | Little Rock, AR | $30,690 | $25,855 | $28,932 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Arkansas
- Fayetteville, AR — $33,730
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Little Rock, AR?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area is $30,690 a year, or about $14.75 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,570 and $35,420.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Little Rock, AR?
On the median $30,690 salary, a single filer living in Arkansas takes home about $25,855 a year ($2,155 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $984 in Arkansas taxes in 2026.
Is Little Rock, AR a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 18% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 10.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,932 would in a typical U.S. city. Little Rock, AR ranks #97 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Little Rock, AR?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Little Rock, AR is $984 a month ($1,143 for two bedrooms) — 46% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Little Rock, AR
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $34,320
- Cooks, Fast Food — $28,580
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,470
- Waiter and Waitress — $24,610