Restaurant cook earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:

$27.18 per hour

$56,540 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:

$22.68 per hour

$47,170 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:

$18.56 per hour

$38,610 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:

$17.56 per hour

$36,530 per year

10th percentile

Starting level restaurant cook earnings begin at:

$14.57 per hour

$30,300 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Restaurant cook salary by state

State Name Average Salary
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
Virgin Islands, U.S. $29,700
West Virginia $29,590
Mississippi $29,560
Louisiana $29,050
Guam $21,270
Puerto Rico $18,000

How do restaurant cook salaries compare to similar careers?

Restaurant cooks earn 20% less than similar careers in Nevada. On average, they make less than restaurant managers but more than food servers.

Career Median Salary
Restaurant manager salary $65K
Registered dietitian salary $69K
Culinary chef salary $62K
Brewmaster salary $63K
Butcher salary $40K
Restaurant cook salary $39K
Food batchmaker salary $41K
Baker salary $40K
Dietetic technician salary $38K
Food server salary $26K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)