Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Scranton, PA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area earn a median $34,870 a year — 7% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,128 take-home, or $2,427 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Scranton, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,004
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,162
- Medicare (1.45%)$506
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,071
- Take-home pay$29,128
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Scranton, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,830 | $10.50 | $18,917 | $1,576 |
| 25th percentile | $28,570 | $13.74 | $24,259 | $2,022 |
| Median (50th) | $34,870 | $16.76 | $29,128 | $2,427 |
| 75th percentile | $37,260 | $17.91 | $30,975 | $2,581 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,370 | $20.85 | $35,696 | $2,975 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,870 buys in Scranton, PA
Prices in Scranton, PA are 6.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 33% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $29,128 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,134 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 Scranton, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Scranton, PA ranks #220 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 |
| 220 | Scranton, PA | $34,870 | $29,128 | $31,134 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Lebanon, PA — $36,250
- Altoona, PA — $34,210
- Pittsburgh, PA — $36,130
- York, PA — $36,310
- State College, PA — $35,990
- Philadelphia, PA — $38,270
- Lancaster, PA — $36,500
- Reading, PA — $36,020
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Scranton, PA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area is $34,870 a year, or about $16.76 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,570 and $37,260.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Scranton, PA?
On the median $34,870 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $29,128 a year ($2,427 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,071 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Scranton, PA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 7% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 6.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,134 would in a typical U.S. city. Scranton, PA ranks #220 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Scranton, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Scranton, PA is $1,028 a month ($1,252 for two bedrooms) — 42% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Scranton, PA
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,750
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,830
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $35,320
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $30,600
- Waiter and Waitress — $29,770
- Food Preparation Worker — $29,210
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $28,130
- Dishwasher — $28,100
- Bartender — $28,010
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $27,720
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,520