Cook salary in Colorado
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Colorado earns a median of $36,900 a year ($17.74/hour equivalent), 19.5% above the national median of $30,890. Colorado ranks #9 of 51 states. About 9,220 people do this job in Colorado.
Take-home pay in Colorado
At the Colorado median, a single filer keeps about $30,752 a year after federal, FICA and Colorado taxes — $1,183 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Colorado paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,419.23
- Federal income tax
- −$86.46
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$87.99
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$20.58
- Colorado income tax
- −$35.20
- CO FAMLI
- −$6.24
- Take-home pay
- $1,182.75
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $36,900
- Federal
- $2,248
- FICA
- $2,823
- State + local
- $1,078
- Net
- $30,752
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 4.4%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
How Colorado compares
| Rank | State | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | $48,120 |
| #2 | District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| #3 | California | $42,050 |
| #4 | Washington | $39,120 |
| #5 | New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| #9 | Colorado | $36,900 |
| #49 | Kentucky | $23,500 |
| #50 | West Virginia | $23,120 |
| #51 | Mississippi | $22,670 |
See the national cook salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Cooks, Fast Food (SOC 35-2011), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make in Colorado?
The median salary is $36,900 a year and the average is $38,400 (BLS May 2025).
Is Colorado a good state for cooks?
Colorado ranks #9 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 19% above the national median of $30,890.
What is $36,900 after taxes in Colorado?
About $30,752 a year ($1,183 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.