SOC 352014

Cooks, Restaurant

Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

National Median

$36,830

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$36,830

Entry Level (10th pct)

$28,010

Experienced (90th pct)

$47,340

Total Employed

1,452,130

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$28,010 - $31,310
Mid Career2-8 years experience$31,310 - $43,610
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$43,610 - $47,340

Highest Paying Locations for Cooks, Restaurant

Cooks, Restaurant Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$48,3201,840
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$46,97024,410
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$46,9608,460
Portland-South Portland, ME$46,9602,590
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area$46,500600
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area$46,3402,670
Massachusetts$46,28031,640
Napa, CA$46,2701,350
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$46,18019,820
Barnstable Town, MA$45,9201,890
Burlington-South Burlington, VT$45,4501,020
District of Columbia$45,2308,020
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$45,23022,290
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$45,04015,380
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$45,0202,470
Washington$44,98034,790
Maine$44,8704,920
Hawaii$44,71012,190
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$44,70057,770
Vermont$44,5602,710
Salinas, CA$44,4902,060
Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area$44,370520
California$44,290160,270
Worcester, MA$44,1102,560
Lewiston-Auburn, ME$44,100260
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$44,0001,150
Vallejo, CA$43,8201,140
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area$43,770870
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area$43,7401,010
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$43,6008,570
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area$43,570820
Springfield, MA$43,5501,390
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA$43,450630
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$43,42017,090
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$43,320630
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$43,3202,320
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area$43,070960
Pittsfield, MA$42,680690
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$42,4601,130
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$42,360730
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$42,2901,790
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$42,1401,030
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$42,05030,860
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area$41,9801,130
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$41,98062,890
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area$41,500940
Boulder, CO$41,3902,650
Bellingham, WA$41,2401,110
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$40,4403,550
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area$40,1501,840

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Cooks, Restaurant?
The national median annual salary for Cooks, Restaurant is $36,830, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Cooks, Restaurants earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Cooks, Restaurants is Kahului-Wailuku, HI, with a median salary of $48,320.
How much can an experienced Cooks, Restaurant make?
Top-earning Cooks, Restaurants (90th percentile) make $47,340 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.