Cook salary in Texas
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Texas earns a median of $34,760 a year ($16.71/hour equivalent), 7.0% below the national median of $37,390. Texas ranks #44 of 51 states. About 126,620 people do this job in Texas.
Take-home pay in Texas
At the Texas median, a single filer keeps about $30,110 a year after federal, FICA and Texas taxes — $1,158 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Texas paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,336.92
- Federal income tax
- −$76.58
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$82.89
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$19.39
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $1,158.06
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $34,760
- Federal
- $1,991
- FICA
- $2,659
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $30,110
- 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 Texas 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 |
| #44 | Texas | $34,760 |
| #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 Texas?
The median salary is $34,760 a year and the average is $33,370 (BLS May 2025).
Is Texas a good state for cooks?
Texas ranks #44 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 7% below the national median of $37,390.
What is $34,760 after taxes in Texas?
About $30,110 a year ($1,158 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.