Cook salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook earns a median of $35,880 a year ($17.25 an hour) in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $36,120. About 138,650 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $35,880
- Gross pay
- $1,380.00
- Federal income tax
- −$81.75
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$85.56
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$20.01
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $1,192.68
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $35,880
- Federal
- $2,126
- FICA
- $2,745
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $31,010
- 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.
Cook salary by state
| State | Median salary | Average | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 | $43,360 | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 | $43,410 | — |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 | $42,700 | 4,760 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 | $44,930 | 460 |
| California | $42,930 | $42,260 | 30,740 |
| Washington | $42,760 | $43,990 | 1,700 |
| Colorado | $42,450 | $44,170 | 1,900 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 | $42,250 | — |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 | $42,780 | 1,910 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 | $41,380 | 850 |
| Idaho | $40,090 | $39,740 | 120 |
| Vermont | $38,830 | $41,030 | 670 |
| Oregon | $38,550 | $39,790 | 1,780 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | $38,960 | — |
| Missouri | $38,490 | $37,390 | — |
| Utah | $38,010 | $37,990 | 320 |
| Alaska | $37,780 | $40,570 | 330 |
| Nevada | $37,780 | $35,100 | 790 |
| Illinois | $37,440 | $37,640 | 2,630 |
| New Mexico | $37,150 | $36,560 | 750 |
| Maryland | $36,800 | $38,290 | 3,250 |
| New York | $35,550 | $38,320 | 18,300 |
| Maine | $35,360 | $36,730 | 1,120 |
| Oklahoma | $35,130 | $32,860 | 760 |
| Michigan | $34,510 | $34,620 | 2,560 |
| Florida | $34,240 | $34,570 | 5,050 |
| Iowa | $34,090 | $34,960 | 1,160 |
| Montana | $33,240 | $33,420 | — |
| South Dakota | $32,380 | $34,180 | 2,000 |
| New Hampshire | $32,330 | $33,740 | 2,320 |
| Minnesota | $32,150 | $33,030 | 870 |
| Kentucky | $31,840 | $33,160 | 650 |
| North Carolina | $31,290 | $31,680 | 3,170 |
| Virginia | $31,200 | $32,600 | 3,350 |
| Nebraska | $30,530 | $33,080 | 1,810 |
| Arkansas | $30,510 | $31,560 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $30,210 | $31,620 | 2,510 |
| South Carolina | $29,640 | $29,340 | 900 |
| Ohio | $29,290 | $30,280 | 6,000 |
| Mississippi | $28,180 | $27,140 | 1,890 |
| Wisconsin | $28,130 | $30,050 | 2,270 |
| West Virginia | $27,440 | $28,120 | 620 |
| Kansas | $27,400 | $29,600 | 640 |
| Georgia | $26,870 | $29,370 | 3,870 |
| Louisiana | $26,260 | $29,110 | 1,990 |
| Texas | $25,320 | $27,610 | 7,540 |
| Alabama | $22,330 | $24,860 | — |
| Indiana | $21,940 | $26,850 | 2,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $19,910 | $25,130 | 3,510 |
Similar jobs
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker: $35,840
- Food Server: $35,360
- Food Preparation Worker: $35,320
- Waiter and Waitress: $35,230
- Dishwasher: $34,810
- Cook: $37,390
- Bartender: $34,340
- Cook: $37,450
BLS occupation: Cooks, Short Order. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 35-2015). Excludes the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $17.25; the average is $17.37.
Which state pays cooks the most?
Arizona ($46,630 median), followed by Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
What is the salary range for a cook?
The bottom 10% earn under $23,440 and the top 10% earn over $46,460 a year.
How much is $35,880 after taxes?
About $31,010 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $30,125 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.