Cook salary in Tennessee
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Tennessee earns a median of $36,420 a year ($17.51/hour equivalent), 2.6% below the national median of $37,390. Tennessee ranks #34 of 51 states. About 28,220 people do this job in Tennessee.
Take-home pay in Tennessee
At the Tennessee median, a single filer keeps about $31,443 a year after federal, FICA and Tennessee taxes — $1,209 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Tennessee paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,400.77
- Federal income tax
- −$84.25
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$86.85
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$20.31
- Tennessee income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $1,209.36
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $36,420
- Federal
- $2,190
- FICA
- $2,786
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $31,443
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
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 Tennessee 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 |
| #34 | Tennessee | $36,420 |
| #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 Tennessee?
The median salary is $36,420 a year and the average is $36,530 (BLS May 2025).
Is Tennessee a good state for cooks?
Tennessee ranks #34 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 3% below the national median of $37,390.
What is $36,420 after taxes in Tennessee?
About $31,443 a year ($1,209 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.