The average salary for a restaurant cook in the United States is around $5,706 per year.
Avg Salary
Restaurant cooks earn an average yearly salary of $5,706.
Wages typically start from $4,302 and go up to $7,567.
91% below national average Updated in 2023
Restaurant cook earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$3.64 per hour
$7,567 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$3.18 per hour
$6,620 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$2.74 per hour
$5,706 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$2.36 per hour
$4,918 per year
10th percentile
Starting level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$2.07 per hour
$4,302 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Restaurant cook salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $37,520 |
| Hawaii | $37,240 |
| Massachusetts | $37,070 |
| New York | $36,880 |
| Vermont | $36,870 |
| New Jersey | $36,830 |
| New Hampshire | $36,790 |
| District of Columbia | $36,750 |
| California | $36,490 |
| Connecticut | $36,070 |
| Maine | $35,830 |
| Colorado | $35,650 |
| Minnesota | $34,740 |
| Oregon | $32,150 |
| Wyoming | $31,010 |
| Alaska | $30,730 |
| Nebraska | $30,720 |
| Maryland | $30,470 |
| North Dakota | $30,350 |
| Illinois | $30,330 |
| Rhode Island | $30,300 |
| Arizona | $30,290 |
| Nevada | $29,940 |
| Delaware | $29,910 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $29,700 |
| Florida | $29,680 |
| Iowa | $29,490 |
| Utah | $29,460 |
| Michigan | $29,440 |
| Wisconsin | $29,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,270 |
| Montana | $29,170 |
| Idaho | $29,140 |
| South Dakota | $29,080 |
| Ohio | $28,850 |
| South Carolina | $28,850 |
| Tennessee | $28,840 |
| Georgia | $28,820 |
| New Mexico | $28,780 |
| Virginia | $28,780 |
| Indiana | $28,670 |
| North Carolina | $28,660 |
| Texas | $28,420 |
| Oklahoma | $28,350 |
| Missouri | $28,250 |
| Kansas | $27,930 |
| Kentucky | $27,910 |
| Arkansas | $27,010 |
| Louisiana | $24,810 |
| Alabama | $24,360 |
| Mississippi | $23,520 |
| West Virginia | $23,340 |
| Guam | $21,270 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,000 |
How do restaurant cook salaries compare to similar careers?
Restaurant cooks earn 24% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than baristas but more than maitres d'.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Barista salary | $18K |
| Butcher salary | $13K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $6K |
| Baker salary | $6K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $6K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $6K |
| Food server salary | $5K |
| Maitre d' salary | $1K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)