Cooks, Restaurant salary
Cooks, Restaurant earn a median of $37,390 a year ($17.98/hr) in the U.S. – from $24,650 in Puerto Rico to $46,800 in Washington. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$17.98/hr · $37,390 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$28,700$13.80/hr
75% earn more$34,010$16.35/hr
half earn more, half less$37,390$17.98/hr
25% earn more$44,620$21.45/hr
top 10% earn more$47,900$23.03/hr
pulled up by top earners$38,730$18.62/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among cooks, restaurant. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for cooks, restaurant. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
35,140 jobs · $22.50/hr$46,800
7,720 jobs · $22.18/hr$46,130
29,570 jobs · $21.92/hr$45,600
11,090 jobs · $21.84/hr$45,420
2,360 jobs · $21.82/hr$45,390
5,130 jobs · $21.78/hr$45,290
152,250 jobs · $21.58/hr$44,880
71,530 jobs · $21.00/hr$43,680
21,550 jobs · $20.72/hr$43,100
30,600 jobs · $20.00/hr$41,600
7,190 jobs · $19.33/hr$40,200
2,350 jobs · $19.30/hr$40,140
14,830 jobs · $18.98/hr$39,480
30,870 jobs · $18.59/hr$38,670
27,250 jobs · $18.56/hr$38,610
26,080 jobs · $18.55/hr$38,590
28,800 jobs · $18.49/hr$38,460
7,580 jobs · $18.30/hr$38,060
5,280 jobs · $18.19/hr$37,840
17,690 jobs · $18.19/hr$37,820
53,540 jobs · $18.07/hr$37,580
4,750 jobs · $17.81/hr$37,030
124,040 jobs · $17.80/hr$37,020
39,100 jobs · $17.78/hr$36,980
25,990 jobs · $17.76/hr$36,940
2,710 jobs · $17.71/hr$36,830
40,310 jobs · $17.67/hr$36,750
54,100 jobs · $17.59/hr$36,580
25,410 jobs · $17.57/hr$36,550
6,950 jobs · $17.55/hr$36,510
10,520 jobs · $17.55/hr$36,490
4,490 jobs · $17.53/hr$36,470
8,130 jobs · $17.52/hr$36,440
28,220 jobs · $17.51/hr$36,420
1,890 jobs · $17.42/hr$36,220
46,350 jobs · $17.28/hr$35,940
25,890 jobs · $17.18/hr$35,740
12,270 jobs · $17.15/hr$35,670
46,910 jobs · $17.09/hr$35,540
50,150 jobs · $17.02/hr$35,400
26,960 jobs · $16.91/hr$35,170
11,620 jobs · $16.89/hr$35,130
7,810 jobs · $16.84/hr$35,020
126,620 jobs · $16.71/hr$34,760
13,510 jobs · $16.65/hr$34,640
16,260 jobs · $15.47/hr$32,180
17,050 jobs · $15.25/hr$31,720
11,270 jobs · $14.51/hr$30,180
6,450 jobs · $14.23/hr$29,590
10,770 jobs · $14.21/hr$29,560
14,910 jobs · $13.97/hr$29,050
9,810 jobs · $11.85/hr$24,650
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 35-2014. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do cooks, restaurant make?
The median wage for cooks, restaurant in the U.S. was $17.98 an hour or $37,390 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $34,010 and $44,620 a year.
Which state pays cooks, restaurant the most?
Washington has the highest median wage for cooks, restaurant: $46,800 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $24,650. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many cooks, restaurant are there?
BLS estimates 1,409,890 cooks, restaurant were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.