Cook salary in Colorado
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Colorado earns a median of $41,600 a year ($20.00/hour equivalent), 11.3% above the national median of $37,390. Colorado ranks #10 of 51 states. About 30,600 people do this job in Colorado.
Take-home pay in Colorado
At the Colorado median, a single filer keeps about $34,301 a year after federal, FICA and Colorado taxes — $1,319 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Colorado paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,600.00
- Federal income tax
- −$108.15
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$99.20
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$23.20
- Colorado income tax
- −$43.15
- CO FAMLI
- −$7.04
- Take-home pay
- $1,319.25
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $41,600
- Federal
- $2,812
- FICA
- $3,182
- State + local
- $1,305
- Net
- $34,301
- 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 | Washington | $46,800 |
| #2 | District of Columbia | $46,130 |
| #3 | Massachusetts | $45,600 |
| #4 | Hawaii | $45,420 |
| #5 | Vermont | $45,390 |
| #10 | Colorado | $41,600 |
| #49 | West Virginia | $29,590 |
| #50 | Mississippi | $29,560 |
| #51 | Louisiana | $29,050 |
See the national cook salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Cooks, Restaurant (SOC 35-2014), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make in Colorado?
The median salary is $41,600 a year and the average is $42,360 (BLS May 2025).
Is Colorado a good state for cooks?
Colorado ranks #10 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 11% above the national median of $37,390.
What is $41,600 after taxes in Colorado?
About $34,301 a year ($1,319 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.