Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Louisville, KY
Cooks, Restaurant in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area earn a median $35,950 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,925 take-home, or $2,494 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Louisville, KY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,134
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,229
- Medicare (1.45%)$521
- Kentucky income tax$1,141
- Take-home pay$29,925
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.50% state
The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro spans Kentucky, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Louisville, KY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,880 | $13.40 | $23,711 | $1,976 |
| 25th percentile | $30,210 | $14.52 | $25,514 | $2,126 |
| Median (50th) | $35,950 | $17.28 | $29,925 | $2,494 |
| 75th percentile | $37,840 | $18.19 | $31,378 | $2,615 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,480 | $21.38 | $36,480 | $3,040 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kentucky resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,950 buys in Louisville, KY
Prices in Louisville, KY are 6.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $29,925 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,152 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 Louisville, KY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.87).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Louisville, KY ranks #46 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 |
| 46 | Louisville, KY | $35,950 | $29,925 | $32,152 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Louisville, KY?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area is $35,950 a year, or about $17.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,210 and $37,840.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Louisville, KY?
On the median $35,950 salary, a single filer living in Kentucky takes home about $29,925 a year ($2,494 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,141 in Kentucky taxes in 2026.
Is Louisville, KY a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 6.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,152 would in a typical U.S. city. Louisville, KY ranks #46 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Louisville, KY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Louisville, KY is $1,026 a month ($1,248 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Louisville, KY
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,800
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,370
- Waiter and Waitress — $30,180
- Food Preparation Worker — $29,640
- Bartender — $29,120
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,690
- Cooks, Fast Food — $26,990