Cooks, Restaurant Salary in the US
A cooks, restaurant earns a national median of $37,390 a year (mean $38,730) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #767 of 825.
How much does a cooks, restaurant earn in the US?
A cooks, restaurant in the United States earns a median of $37,390 a year (mean $38,730), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 27% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 1,409,890 people work in this occupation (SOC 35-2014), ranked #767 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$37,390
per year
Mean
$38,730
per year
Employment
1,409,890
US workers
National rank
#767
of 825 by median
What a cooks, restaurant earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a cooks, restaurant (SOC 35-2014) earns a median annual wage of $37,390 and a mean (average) of $38,730. The median is the midpoint — half of cooks, restaurant earn more and half earn less — and is 27% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a cooks, restaurant in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for cooks, restaurant is $37,390, and the mean (average) is $38,730. The median is the midpoint — half of cooks, restaurant earn more and half earn less.
- How does cooks, restaurant pay compare to the US average?
- At $37,390, a cooks, restaurant earns 27% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many cooks, restaurant are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 1,409,890 cooks, restaurant employed nationally (SOC 35-2014), across all industries.
- Where does this cooks, restaurant salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 35-2014. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
Compare nearby occupations
- Tire Repairers and Changers$37,710
- Cooks, All Other$37,690
- Pharmacy Aides$37,680
- Dietetic Technicians$37,640
- Gambling Cage Workers$37,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$37,450
- Floral Designers$37,360
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$37,290
- Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$37,280
- Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$37,180
- Bakers$37,160
Find cooks, restaurant jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which cooks, restaurant roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 35-2014 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries