Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Saginaw, MI
Cooks, Restaurant in the Saginaw, MI metro area earn a median $36,000 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,827 take-home, or $2,486 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Saginaw, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,140
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,232
- Medicare (1.45%)$522
- Michigan income tax$1,279
- Take-home pay$29,827
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Saginaw, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,290 | $14.08 | $24,720 | $2,060 |
| 25th percentile | $31,410 | $15.10 | $26,334 | $2,194 |
| Median (50th) | $36,000 | $17.31 | $29,827 | $2,486 |
| 75th percentile | $37,500 | $18.03 | $30,968 | $2,581 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,240 | $21.27 | $36,097 | $3,008 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,000 buys in Saginaw, MI
Prices in Saginaw, MI are 9.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 36% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $29,827 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,816 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 Saginaw, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.08).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Saginaw, MI ranks #104 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 |
| 104 | Saginaw, MI | $36,000 | $29,827 | $32,816 |
*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 Michigan
- Battle Creek, MI — $37,000
- Jackson, MI — $36,680
- Traverse City, MI — $37,270
- Niles, MI — $36,610
- Flint, MI — $36,350
- Grand Rapids, MI — $37,360
- Lansing, MI — $37,100
- Muskegon, MI — $35,810
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Saginaw, MI?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Saginaw, MI metro area is $36,000 a year, or about $17.31 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,410 and $37,500.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Saginaw, MI?
On the median $36,000 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $29,827 a year ($2,486 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,279 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Saginaw, MI a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 9.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,816 would in a typical U.S. city. Saginaw, MI ranks #104 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Saginaw, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Saginaw, MI is $851 a month ($1,117 for two bedrooms) — 34% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Saginaw, MI
- Waiter and Waitress — $39,430
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,430
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,280