Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Oklahoma City, OK
Cooks, Restaurant in the Oklahoma City, OK metro area earn a median $36,130 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,130 take-home, or $2,511 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Oklahoma City, OK. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,156
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,240
- Medicare (1.45%)$524
- Oklahoma income tax$1,080
- Take-home pay$30,130
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.50% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Oklahoma City, OK
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $24,180 | $11.63 | $20,980 | $1,748 |
| 25th percentile | $30,510 | $14.67 | $25,867 | $2,156 |
| Median (50th) | $36,130 | $17.37 | $30,130 | $2,511 |
| 75th percentile | $38,310 | $18.42 | $31,784 | $2,649 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $50,420 | $24.24 | $40,969 | $3,414 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Oklahoma resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,130 buys in Oklahoma City, OK
Prices in Oklahoma City, OK are 9.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 26% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,130 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,327 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 Oklahoma City, OK as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.16).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Oklahoma City, OK ranks #22 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 |
| 22 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,130 | $30,130 | $33,327 |
*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.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Oklahoma
- Tulsa, OK — $33,410
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Oklahoma City, OK?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Oklahoma City, OK metro area is $36,130 a year, or about $17.37 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,510 and $38,310.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Oklahoma City, OK?
On the median $36,130 salary, a single filer living in Oklahoma takes home about $30,130 a year ($2,511 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,080 in Oklahoma taxes in 2026.
Is Oklahoma City, OK a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 9.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,327 would in a typical U.S. city. Oklahoma City, OK ranks #22 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Oklahoma City, OK?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Oklahoma City, OK is $1,002 a month ($1,227 for two bedrooms) — 40% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Oklahoma City, OK
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $35,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $30,540
- Food Preparation Worker — $30,160
- Cooks, Fast Food — $27,990
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $26,070
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $24,960
- Bartender — $24,790
- Waiter and Waitress — $18,200