Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $38,270 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,755 take-home, or $2,646 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,412
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,373
- Medicare (1.45%)$555
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,175
- Take-home pay$31,755
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,431 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $30,324 ($2,527 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. 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 Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,750 | $14.30 | $25,171 | $2,098 |
| 25th percentile | $35,790 | $17.21 | $29,839 | $2,487 |
| Median (50th) | $38,270 | $18.40 | $31,755 | $2,646 |
| 75th percentile | $44,040 | $21.17 | $36,214 | $3,018 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,010 | $22.60 | $38,509 | $3,209 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $38,270 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,755 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,964 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 Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.92).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #78 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 |
| 78 | Philadelphia, PA | $38,270 | $31,755 | $30,964 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $36,130
- Allentown, PA — $37,120
- Harrisburg, PA — $36,520
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $38,270 a year, or about $18.40 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,790 and $44,040.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $38,270 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $31,755 a year ($2,646 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,175 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,964 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #78 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 57% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Chef and Head Cook — $65,680
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,870
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,570
- Bartender — $36,040
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,560
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $33,300
- Dishwasher — $33,270
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $32,220
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $32,220
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $32,220
- Cooks, Fast Food — $32,220