Cooks, Restaurant salary
The median pay for cooks, restaurant in the United States is $37,390 a year. About 1,409,890 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $28,700
- 25th percentile
- $34,010
- Median percentile
- $37,390
- 75th percentile
- $44,620
- 90th percentile
- $47,900
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- Washington $46,800
- District of Columbia $46,130
- Massachusetts $45,600
- Hawaii $45,420
- Vermont $45,390
- Maine $45,290
- California $44,880
- New York $43,680
- Oregon $43,100
- Colorado $41,600
- New Hampshire $40,200
- Alaska $40,140
- Connecticut $39,480
- Arizona $38,670
- Nevada $38,610
- Minnesota $38,590
- New Jersey $38,460
- Montana $38,060
- Delaware $37,840
- Maryland $37,820
- Illinois $37,580
- Nebraska $37,030
- Florida $37,020
- Michigan $36,980
- Missouri $36,940
- Wyoming $36,830
- Virginia $36,750
- Pennsylvania $36,580
- Wisconsin $36,550
- Rhode Island $36,510
- Utah $36,490
- North Dakota $36,470
- Idaho $36,440
- Tennessee $36,420
- South Dakota $36,220
- Georgia $35,940
- South Carolina $35,740
- Iowa $35,670
- Ohio $35,540
- North Carolina $35,400
- Indiana $35,170
- Kansas $35,130
- New Mexico $35,020
- Texas $34,760
- Kentucky $34,640
- Alabama $32,180
- Oklahoma $31,720
- Arkansas $30,180
- West Virginia $29,590
- Mississippi $29,560
- Louisiana $29,050
By metro area
- Kahului, HI $49,560
- Seattle, WA $47,730
- Napa, CA $47,320
- San Jose, CA $47,170
- Barnstable Town, MA $46,930
- Portland, ME $46,560
- Bremerton, WA $46,460
- Mount Vernon, WA $46,450
- San Diego, CA $46,440
- San Francisco, CA $46,030
- Boston, MA $45,830
- Santa Rosa, CA $45,720
- Burlington, VT $45,390
- Bellingham, WA $45,370
- Kennewick, WA $45,280
- Portland, OR $45,200
- Longview, WA $44,980
- Olympia, WA $44,960
- Salinas, CA $44,930
- Amherst Town, MA $44,680
- Santa Cruz, CA $44,560
- Wenatchee, WA $44,550
- Bend, OR $44,540
- Lewiston, ME $44,510
- Los Angeles, CA $44,460
- Yakima, WA $44,390
- Denver, CO $44,370
- Worcester, MA $44,250
- Sacramento, CA $44,230
- Spokane, WA $44,230
- Vallejo, CA $44,100
- Walla Walla, WA $44,050
- Kiryas Joel, NY $44,000
- Pittsfield, MA $43,970
- New York, NY $43,740
- Bridgeport, CT $43,400
- Santa Maria, CA $43,340
- San Luis Obispo, CA $43,220
- Kingston, NY $43,150
- Washington, DC $42,920
- Riverside, CA $42,450
- Urban Honolulu, HI $42,450
- Bozeman, MT $42,430
- Boulder, CO $42,220
- Oxnard, CA $42,060
- Modesto, CA $41,910
- Naples, FL $41,220
- Stockton, CA $41,170
- Bangor, ME $40,760
- Atlantic City, NJ $40,250
- Fairbanks, AK $40,150
- Anchorage, AK $40,140
- Springfield, MA $39,970
- Minneapolis, MN $39,640
- Albany, NY $39,610
- Ithaca, NY $39,280
- Phoenix, AZ $39,170
- Salem, OR $39,170
- Yuba City, CA $39,160
- Hartford, CT $39,150
- Grants Pass, OR $39,110
- New Haven, CT $39,100
- Manchester, NH $38,960
- Chicago, IL $38,930
- Reno, NV $38,930
- Hanford, CA $38,810
- Las Vegas, NV $38,800
- Albany, OR $38,780
- Flagstaff, AZ $38,760
- Syracuse, NY $38,740
- Glens Falls, NY $38,730
- Waterbury, CT $38,570
- Merced, CA $38,480
- Madison, WI $38,440
- Carson City, NV $38,430
- Medford, OR $38,430
- Trenton, NJ $38,400
- Corvallis, OR $38,380
- Rochester, NY $38,380
- Fort Collins, CO $38,370
- Ann Arbor, MI $38,290
- Philadelphia, PA $38,270
- Billings, MT $38,260
- Fresno, CA $38,260
- Coeur d'Alene, ID $38,200
- Redding, CA $38,200
- Norwich, CT $38,180
- Nashville, TN $38,170
- Rochester, MN $38,150
- Utica, NY $38,150
- Missoula, MT $38,080
- Buffalo, NY $38,060
- Helena, MT $38,030
- Colorado Springs, CO $38,000
- Chico, CA $37,980
- Orlando, FL $37,970
- Eugene, OR $37,960
- Omaha, NE $37,840
- Bakersfield, CA $37,800
- El Centro, CA $37,710
- St. Louis, MO $37,690
- Binghamton, NY $37,530
- Tucson, AZ $37,500
- Providence, RI $37,460
- North Port, FL $37,440
- Baltimore, MD $37,420
- Detroit, MI $37,410
- Prescott Valley, AZ $37,380
- Kansas City, MO $37,370
- Grand Rapids, MI $37,360
- Sioux Falls, SD $37,310
- Lincoln, NE $37,290
- Traverse City, MI $37,270
- Santa Fe, NM $37,250
- Cape Coral, FL $37,240
- Atlanta, GA $37,230
- Boise City, ID $37,230
- Mankato, MN $37,190
- Milwaukee, WI $37,180
- Lexington Park, MD $37,170