Cook salary in Pennsylvania
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Pennsylvania earns a median of $36,580 a year ($17.59/hour equivalent), 2.2% below the national median of $37,390. Pennsylvania ranks #28 of 51 states. About 54,100 people do this job in Pennsylvania.
Take-home pay in Pennsylvania
At the Pennsylvania median, a single filer keeps about $30,423 a year after federal, FICA and Pennsylvania taxes — $1,170 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Pennsylvania paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,406.92
- Federal income tax
- −$84.98
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$87.23
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$20.40
- Pennsylvania income tax
- −$43.19
- PA Unemployment Compensation
- −$0.98
- Take-home pay
- $1,170.13
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $36,580
- Federal
- $2,210
- FICA
- $2,798
- State + local
- $1,149
- Net
- $30,423
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 3.1%
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 Pennsylvania 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 |
| #28 | Pennsylvania | $36,580 |
| #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 Pennsylvania?
The median salary is $36,580 a year and the average is $35,750 (BLS May 2025).
Is Pennsylvania a good state for cooks?
Pennsylvania ranks #28 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 2% below the national median of $37,390.
What is $36,580 after taxes in Pennsylvania?
About $30,423 a year ($1,170 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.