Cooks, Short Order Salary in Chicago, IL
Cooks, Short Order in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $37,440 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,555 take-home, or $2,546 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, short order salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,313
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,321
- Medicare (1.45%)$543
- Illinois income tax$1,708
- Take-home pay$30,555
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Cooks, Short Order pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,770 | $16.72 | $28,541 | $2,378 |
| 25th percentile | $36,010 | $17.31 | $29,476 | $2,456 |
| Median (50th) | $37,440 | $18.00 | $30,555 | $2,546 |
| 75th percentile | $41,850 | $20.12 | $33,880 | $2,823 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,950 | $22.57 | $37,725 | $3,144 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,440 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, short order's $30,555 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,494 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, Short Order jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.44), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, short order, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #23 of 45 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $50,870 | $43,054 | $38,741 |
| 2 | Providence, RI | $44,050 | $36,539 | $35,903 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $46,450 | $38,051 | $35,303 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $44,200 | $36,458 | $34,466 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $45,990 | $37,706 | $34,147 |
| 6 | Sioux Falls, SD | $35,570 | $30,760 | $33,940 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $38,490 | $32,235 | $33,900 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $37,830 | $32,576 | $33,815 |
| 23 | Chicago, IL | $37,440 | $30,555 | $29,494 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 45 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, short order make in Chicago, IL?
The median cooks, short order salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $37,440 a year, or about $18.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,010 and $41,850.
What is a cooks, short order’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $37,440 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $30,555 a year ($2,546 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,708 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a cooks, short order?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $35,880. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,494 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #23 of 45 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, short order afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 60% of a median cooks, short order’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,770
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $42,650
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $39,930
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,930
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,290
- Dishwasher — $36,850
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,670
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,410
- Cooks, Fast Food — $35,360
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $34,630
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $31,720
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200