Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Topeka, KS
Cooks, Restaurant in the Topeka, KS metro area earn a median $34,450 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,733 take-home, or $2,394 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Topeka, KS. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,954
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,136
- Medicare (1.45%)$500
- Kansas income tax$1,128
- Take-home pay$28,733
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.20% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Topeka, KS
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,040 | $12.52 | $22,364 | $1,864 |
| 25th percentile | $30,050 | $14.45 | $25,426 | $2,119 |
| Median (50th) | $34,450 | $16.56 | $28,733 | $2,394 |
| 75th percentile | $35,990 | $17.30 | $29,889 | $2,491 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $41,880 | $20.13 | $34,293 | $2,858 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kansas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,450 buys in Topeka, KS
Prices in Topeka, KS are 11.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 35% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $28,733 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,350 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 Topeka, KS than nationally (location quotient 0.73), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Topeka, KS ranks #131 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 |
| 131 | Topeka, KS | $34,450 | $28,733 | $32,350 |
*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 Kansas
- Lawrence, KS — $35,140
- Wichita, KS — $34,510
- Manhattan, KS — $32,280
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Topeka, KS?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Topeka, KS metro area is $34,450 a year, or about $16.56 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,050 and $35,990.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Topeka, KS?
On the median $34,450 salary, a single filer living in Kansas takes home about $28,733 a year ($2,394 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,128 in Kansas taxes in 2026.
Is Topeka, KS a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 8% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 11.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,350 would in a typical U.S. city. Topeka, KS ranks #131 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Topeka, KS?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Topeka, KS is $820 a month ($1,057 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 Topeka, KS
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,890
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,090
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $33,200
- Food Preparation Worker — $30,300
- Bartender — $27,860
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,810