Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Memphis, TN
Cooks, Restaurant in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn a median $36,340 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,379 take-home, or $2,615 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Memphis, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,181
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,253
- Medicare (1.45%)$527
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$31,379
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro spans Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Memphis, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,030 | $13.00 | $23,869 | $1,989 |
| 25th percentile | $30,460 | $14.64 | $26,655 | $2,221 |
| Median (50th) | $36,340 | $17.47 | $31,379 | $2,615 |
| 75th percentile | $38,930 | $18.72 | $33,460 | $2,788 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,560 | $21.42 | $37,984 | $3,165 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,340 buys in Memphis, TN
Prices in Memphis, TN are 7.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 20% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,379 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,042 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 Memphis, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.86).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Memphis, TN ranks #49 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 |
| 49 | Memphis, TN | $36,340 | $31,379 | $34,042 |
*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 Tennessee
- Jackson, TN — $35,490
- Kingsport, TN — $34,600
- Johnson City, TN — $34,620
- Nashville, TN — $38,170
- Knoxville, TN — $36,520
- Chattanooga, TN — $36,010
- Clarksville, TN — $34,840
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Memphis, TN?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area is $36,340 a year, or about $17.47 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,460 and $38,930.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Memphis, TN?
On the median $36,340 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $31,379 a year ($2,615 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Memphis, TN a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,042 would in a typical U.S. city. Memphis, TN ranks #49 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Memphis, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Memphis, TN is $1,137 a month ($1,263 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 Memphis, TN
- Chef and Head Cook — $66,230
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $39,620
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $38,530
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $34,740
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $33,170
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $31,080
- Cooks, Short Order — $29,880
- Dishwasher — $29,700
- Bartender — $28,710
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $27,610
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,490
- Food Preparation Worker — $27,290