Cooks, Restaurant Salary
Salary data across 60 metro areas in the US & CanadaUSD & CAD
Search Jobs on IndeedAvg Median Salary
$34,983
Highest Paying City
San Jose
$49,000
Cities Tracked
60
What Do Cooks, Restaurant Do?
Cooks, Restaurant work in the food service industry, preparing ingredients, cooking meals, and serving customers. Their skills and dedication help create enjoyable dining experiences for patrons.
Most work in restaurant kitchens, cafeterias, or food service establishments. Hours are often long and irregular, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Kitchens can be hot, fast-paced, and physically demanding.
Key Skills for Cooks, Restaurant
Education Requirements
High school diploma or equivalent; culinary degree for advanced roles
Many positions require little formal education beyond a high school diploma. Chefs and head cooks often benefit from culinary school training or apprenticeships. On-the-job training is common across all levels.
Career Outlook
Employment is expected to grow about as fast as average, driven by continued demand for dining out and food delivery services.
How to Increase Your Cooks, Restaurant Salary
- 1.Complete culinary school or an apprenticeship for advanced chef roles
- 2.Earn food safety certifications (ServSafe, food handler's card)
- 3.Develop expertise in a culinary specialty (pastry, international cuisine, etc.)
- 4.Build management skills to advance to head chef or restaurant manager
- 5.Stay current with food trends and dietary preferences
Cooks, Restaurant Salary by City
| City | Median | Average | Range (10th-90th) | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $49,000 | $51,000 | $32,000 - $62,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Francisco, CA | $48,000 | $52,000 | $31,000 - $61,000 | USD | Apply |
| Seattle, WA | $45,000 | $47,000 | $31,000 - $55,000 | USD | Apply |
| New York, NY | $44,000 | $45,000 | $31,000 - $54,000 | USD | Apply |
| Washington DC, DC | $44,000 | $45,000 | $31,000 - $54,000 | USD | Apply |
| Boston, MA | $44,000 | $47,000 | $31,000 - $54,000 | USD | Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | $41,000 | $42,000 | $29,000 - $50,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Diego, CA | $40,000 | $42,000 | $28,000 - $49,000 | USD | Apply |
| Baltimore, MD | $39,000 | $43,000 | $27,000 - $48,000 | USD | Apply |
| Honolulu, HI | $39,000 | $44,000 | $27,000 - $48,000 | USD | Apply |
| Philadelphia, PA | $38,000 | $42,000 | $27,000 - $47,000 | USD | Apply |
| Denver, CO | $38,000 | $41,000 | $27,000 - $47,000 | USD | Apply |
| Austin, TX | $38,000 | $41,000 | $27,000 - $47,000 | USD | Apply |
| Hartford, CT | $38,000 | $41,000 | $27,000 - $47,000 | USD | Apply |
| Anchorage, AK | $38,000 | $40,000 | $27,000 - $47,000 | USD | Apply |
| Chicago, IL | $37,000 | $41,000 | $26,000 - $45,000 | USD | Apply |
| Houston, TX | $37,000 | $40,000 | $26,000 - $45,000 | USD | Apply |
| Minneapolis, MN | $37,000 | $38,000 | $26,000 - $45,000 | USD | Apply |
| Portland, OR | $37,000 | $38,000 | $26,000 - $45,000 | USD | Apply |
| Raleigh, NC | $37,000 | $39,000 | $26,000 - $45,000 | USD | Apply |
| Sacramento, CA | $37,000 | $39,000 | $26,000 - $45,000 | USD | Apply |
| Dallas, TX | $36,000 | $37,000 | $25,000 - $44,000 | USD | Apply |
| Atlanta, GA | $35,000 | $37,000 | $24,000 - $43,000 | USD | Apply |
| Phoenix, AZ | $35,000 | $39,000 | $24,000 - $43,000 | USD | Apply |
| Nashville, TN | $35,000 | $38,000 | $24,000 - $43,000 | USD | Apply |
| Charlotte, NC | $35,000 | $37,000 | $24,000 - $43,000 | USD | Apply |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $35,000 | $36,000 | $24,000 - $43,000 | USD | Apply |
| Milwaukee, WI | $35,000 | $39,000 | $24,000 - $43,000 | USD | Apply |
| Detroit, MI | $34,000 | $35,000 | $24,000 - $42,000 | USD | Apply |
| Las Vegas, NV | $34,000 | $36,000 | $24,000 - $42,000 | USD | Apply |
| Kansas City, MO | $34,000 | $36,000 | $24,000 - $42,000 | USD | Apply |
| Richmond, VA | $34,000 | $38,000 | $24,000 - $42,000 | USD | Apply |
| Toronto, ON | $34,000 | $37,000 | $24,000 - $42,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Miami, FL | $33,000 | $34,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Orlando, FL | $33,000 | $36,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Antonio, TX | $33,000 | $35,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Columbus, OH | $33,000 | $34,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Indianapolis, IN | $33,000 | $35,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $33,000 | $35,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| St. Louis, MO | $33,000 | $34,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cleveland, OH | $33,000 | $36,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cincinnati, OH | $33,000 | $35,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Buffalo, NY | $33,000 | $35,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | USD | Apply |
| Vancouver, BC | $33,000 | $36,000 | $23,000 - $40,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Tampa, FL | $32,000 | $36,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | USD | Apply |
| Jacksonville, FL | $32,000 | $35,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | USD | Apply |
| Memphis, TN | $32,000 | $33,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | USD | Apply |
| Louisville, KY | $32,000 | $33,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | USD | Apply |
| New Orleans, LA | $32,000 | $33,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tucson, AZ | $32,000 | $33,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | USD | Apply |
| Calgary, AB | $32,000 | $35,000 | $22,000 - $39,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $31,000 | $34,000 | $22,000 - $38,000 | USD | Apply |
| Birmingham, AL | $31,000 | $33,000 | $22,000 - $38,000 | USD | Apply |
| Ottawa, ON | $30,000 | $33,000 | $21,000 - $37,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Edmonton, AB | $29,000 | $32,000 | $20,000 - $36,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Montreal, QC | $27,000 | $30,000 | $19,000 - $33,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Hamilton, ON | $27,000 | $29,000 | $19,000 - $33,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Winnipeg, MB | $26,000 | $29,000 | $18,000 - $32,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Quebec City, QC | $25,000 | $26,000 | $18,000 - $31,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Halifax, NS | $25,000 | $26,000 | $18,000 - $31,000 | CAD | Apply |