Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Worcester, MA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Worcester, MA metro area earn a median $44,250 a year — 18% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,742 take-home, or $2,979 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Worcester, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,130
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,744
- Medicare (1.45%)$642
- Massachusetts income tax$1,993
- Take-home pay$35,742
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Worcester, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,990 | $17.30 | $29,518 | $2,460 |
| 25th percentile | $37,710 | $18.13 | $30,814 | $2,568 |
| Median (50th) | $44,250 | $21.27 | $35,742 | $2,979 |
| 75th percentile | $47,080 | $22.63 | $37,875 | $3,156 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $56,180 | $27.01 | $44,732 | $3,728 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,250 buys in Worcester, MA
Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $35,742 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,863 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 Worcester, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.79), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Worcester, MA ranks #24 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 |
| 24 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
*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 Massachusetts
- Barnstable Town, MA — $46,930
- Pittsfield, MA — $43,970
- Amherst Town, MA — $44,680
- Boston, MA — $45,830
- Springfield, MA — $39,970
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Worcester, MA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Worcester, MA metro area is $44,250 a year, or about $21.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,710 and $47,080.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Worcester, MA?
On the median $44,250 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $35,742 a year ($2,979 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,993 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Worcester, MA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 18% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 2.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,863 would in a typical U.S. city. Worcester, MA ranks #24 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Worcester, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Worcester, MA is $1,558 a month ($1,997 for two bedrooms) — 52% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Worcester, MA
- Chef and Head Cook — $64,620
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $46,780
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,500
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,840
- Dishwasher — $36,660
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,550
- Bartender — $35,950
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $35,870
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,790
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $34,610
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $33,620