Average Salary for Cooks, Restaurant
SOC 35-2014 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Cooks, Restaurant in the United States is $36,830 ($17.71/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $28,010 at the 10th percentile to $47,340 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 1,452,130 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 63.8% since 2014.
Median Annual
$36,830
Mean Annual
$37,730
10th Pct
$28,010
75th Pct
$43,610
Employment
1,452,130
Salary Distribution
$28k
10th
$31k
25th
$37k
Median
$44k
75th
$47k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $48,320 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $46,970 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $46,960 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $46,960 |
| Napa, CA | $46,270 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $46,180 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $45,920 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $45,450 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $45,230 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $45,040 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $45,020 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $44,700 |
| Salinas, CA | $44,490 |
| Worcester, MA | $44,110 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $44,100 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $46,280 |
| District of Columbia | $45,230 |
| Washington | $44,980 |
| Maine | $44,870 |
| Hawaii | $44,710 |
| Vermont | $44,560 |
| California | $44,290 |
| New York | $39,890 |
| Colorado | $39,170 |
| New Hampshire | $39,050 |
| Rhode Island | $38,940 |
| Alaska | $38,640 |
| Minnesota | $38,220 |
| New Jersey | $38,080 |
| Oregon | $38,040 |
| Connecticut | $38,020 |
| Arizona | $37,940 |
| Maryland | $37,470 |
| Nevada | $37,170 |
| Wisconsin | $36,940 |
| Montana | $36,830 |
| Delaware | $36,820 |
| Nebraska | $36,800 |
| Wyoming | $36,770 |
| Illinois | $36,630 |
| Virginia | $36,580 |
| Michigan | $36,560 |
| Utah | $36,510 |
| Florida | $36,300 |
| North Dakota | $36,060 |
| Tennessee | $35,810 |
| Iowa | $35,720 |
| South Carolina | $35,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,340 |
| Missouri | $35,320 |
| North Carolina | $35,240 |
| South Dakota | $35,150 |
| Georgia | $35,090 |
| Indiana | $35,040 |
| Virgin Islands | $34,940 |
| Idaho | $34,890 |
| Ohio | $34,750 |
| Kansas | $34,200 |
| New Mexico | $34,110 |
| Texas | $34,050 |
| Kentucky | $30,960 |
| Oklahoma | $30,610 |
| Alabama | $30,100 |
| Mississippi | $29,520 |
| Arkansas | $29,470 |
| Louisiana | $28,880 |
| West Virginia | $28,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,920 |
| Guam | $22,900 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Cooks, Restaurant broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Land Subdivision | $50,560 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $50,560 |
| Religious Organizations | $48,970 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $47,150 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $47,150 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $47,150 |
| General Merchandise Retailers | $46,460 |
| Casino Hotels | $46,160 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $45,900 |
| Hospitals | $44,610 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $44,220 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $44,020 |
| Book Retailers and News Dealers | $43,930 |
| Other Personal Services | $43,580 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $43,580 |
| Facilities Support Services | $42,520 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $42,480 |
| Construction | $42,460 |
| Accommodation | $42,390 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $42,120 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $42,050 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $41,960 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | $41,570 |
| Personal Care Services | $41,380 |
| Gambling Industries | $40,660 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $40,340 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $39,970 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | $39,890 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $39,750 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $39,520 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $39,350 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $39,340 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $39,340 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $39,320 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $39,320 |
| Special Food Services | $39,210 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $38,980 |
| Spectator Sports | $38,930 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $38,840 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $38,840 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $38,680 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $38,670 |
| Real Estate | $38,630 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $38,600 |
| Employment Services | $38,600 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $38,600 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | $38,520 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation | $38,470 |
| Water Transportation | $38,470 |
| Temporary Help Services | $38,340 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | $37,790 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $37,740 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $37,520 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $37,520 |
| Retail Trade | $37,470 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $37,260 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $37,040 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $36,990 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $36,990 |
| Manufacturing | $36,960 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $36,900 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $36,850 |
| Food Manufacturing | $36,850 |
| Wholesale Trade | $36,850 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $36,850 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $36,810 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | $36,770 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $36,750 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $36,630 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $36,630 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $36,620 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $36,210 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $36,190 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $36,160 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $36,160 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | $36,070 |
| Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers | $35,930 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps | $35,920 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $35,840 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $35,840 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $35,640 |
| Motion Picture and Video Exhibition | $35,610 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $35,610 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $35,610 |
| Information | $35,610 |
| Educational Services | $35,130 |
| Educational Services | $35,130 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $34,790 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $34,600 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $34,330 |
| Office Administrative Services | $33,700 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $33,630 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $33,390 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $33,280 |
| Social Assistance | $33,280 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $32,760 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $32,700 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $32,550 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $32,380 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $31,200 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $31,200 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $31,200 |
| Junior Colleges | $30,600 |
| Florists | $29,120 |
| Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | $28,220 |
| Gasoline Stations | $28,220 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $27,040 |
| Construction of Buildings | $26,820 |
| Residential Building Construction | $26,820 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $26,720 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $26,670 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $26,320 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $36,830 |
| 2023 | $35,780 |
| 2022 | $34,110 |
| 2021 | $30,010 |
| 2020 | $28,800 |
| 2019 | $27,790 |
| 2018 | $26,530 |
| 2017 | $25,180 |
| 2016 | $24,140 |
| 2015 | $23,100 |
| 2014 | $22,490 |