Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Monroe, LA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Monroe, LA metro area earn a median $27,090 a year — 28% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $23,492 take-home, or $1,958 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Monroe, LA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,099
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,680
- Medicare (1.45%)$393
- Louisiana income tax$426
- Take-home pay$23,492
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 3.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Monroe, LA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,180 | $10.18 | $18,803 | $1,567 |
| 25th percentile | $22,560 | $10.85 | $19,898 | $1,658 |
| Median (50th) | $27,090 | $13.02 | $23,492 | $1,958 |
| 75th percentile | $30,010 | $14.43 | $25,779 | $2,148 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,350 | $17.48 | $30,683 | $2,557 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Louisiana resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $27,090 buys in Monroe, LA
Prices in Monroe, LA are 16.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 57% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $23,492 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,102 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 Monroe, LA than nationally (location quotient 0.72), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Monroe, LA ranks #320 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 |
| 320 | Monroe, LA | $27,090 | $23,492 | $28,102 |
*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 Louisiana
- Shreveport, LA — $28,440
- Lake Charles, LA — $28,550
- Baton Rouge, LA — $29,910
- New Orleans, LA — $30,520
- Houma, LA — $27,690
- Hammond, LA — $27,130
- Lafayette, LA — $27,660
- Slidell, LA — $29,050
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Monroe, LA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Monroe, LA metro area is $27,090 a year, or about $13.02 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,560 and $30,010.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Monroe, LA?
On the median $27,090 salary, a single filer living in Louisiana takes home about $23,492 a year ($1,958 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $426 in Louisiana taxes in 2026.
Is Monroe, LA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 28% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 16.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,102 would in a typical U.S. city. Monroe, LA ranks #320 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Monroe, LA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Monroe, LA is $772 a month ($997 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Monroe, LA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $34,390
- Food Preparation Worker — $22,430
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $21,550
- Waiter and Waitress — $15,080