Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Waco, TX
Cooks, Restaurant in the Waco, TX metro area earn a median $31,500 a year — 16% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,490 take-home, or $2,291 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Waco, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,600
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,953
- Medicare (1.45%)$457
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$27,490
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Waco, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,640 | $10.40 | $19,431 | $1,619 |
| 25th percentile | $27,450 | $13.20 | $24,215 | $2,018 |
| Median (50th) | $31,500 | $15.14 | $27,490 | $2,291 |
| 75th percentile | $35,980 | $17.30 | $31,090 | $2,591 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,380 | $17.97 | $32,215 | $2,685 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,500 buys in Waco, TX
Prices in Waco, TX are 7.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 16% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $27,490 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,703 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 Waco, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.97).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Waco, TX ranks #272 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 |
| 272 | Waco, TX | $31,500 | $27,490 | $29,703 |
*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 Texas
- Austin, TX — $36,810
- Midland, TX — $35,670
- Odessa, TX — $34,900
- San Antonio, TX — $34,860
- College Station, TX — $32,630
- Texarkana, TX — $29,490
- Houston, TX — $35,050
- Dallas, TX — $36,490
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Waco, TX?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Waco, TX metro area is $31,500 a year, or about $15.14 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,450 and $35,980.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Waco, TX?
On the median $31,500 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $27,490 a year ($2,291 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Waco, TX a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 16% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 7.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,703 would in a typical U.S. city. Waco, TX ranks #272 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Waco, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Waco, TX is $966 a month ($1,208 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 Waco, TX
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $35,240
- Food Preparation Worker — $28,690
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,750
- Cooks, Fast Food — $27,470
- Waiter and Waitress — $23,010
- Bartender — $21,420