Cooks, Short Order Salary in Denver, CO
Cooks, Short Order in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $44,200 a year — 23% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,458 take-home, or $3,038 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, short order salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,124
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,740
- Medicare (1.45%)$641
- Colorado income tax$1,236
- Take-home pay$36,458
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% state
Cooks, Short Order pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,450 | $20.41 | $35,129 | $2,927 |
| 25th percentile | $42,450 | $20.41 | $35,129 | $2,927 |
| Median (50th) | $44,200 | $21.25 | $36,458 | $3,038 |
| 75th percentile | $64,840 | $31.17 | $52,134 | $4,345 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $64,840 | $31.17 | $52,134 | $4,345 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,200 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, short order's $36,458 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,466 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 Denver, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.70), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, short order, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #4 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 |
*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 Denver, CO?
The median cooks, short order salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $44,200 a year, or about $21.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,450 and $64,840.
What is a cooks, short order’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $44,200 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $36,458 a year ($3,038 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,236 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a cooks, short order?
Pay here is 23% above the national median of $35,880. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,466 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #4 of 45 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, short order afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 58% of a median cooks, short order’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- Chef and Head Cook — $66,970
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $52,520
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $45,070
- Cooks, Restaurant — $44,370
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $39,850
- Waiter and Waitress — $39,650
- Food Preparation Worker — $39,470
- Dishwasher — $38,710
- Cooks, Fast Food — $38,530
- Bartender — $37,180
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $37,070
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $36,880