Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Abilene, TX

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Abilene, TX

Median annual salary $29,480 -20% vs national
Median hourly $14.17
10th percentile $21,740
90th percentile $36,560
Employed locally 760
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Abilene, TX stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Abilene, TX
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $21,740
    25th
    $27,520
    50th (median)
    $29,480
    75th
    $35,100
    90th
    $36,560

    Abilene economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $66,464 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 44% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 56% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Restaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,320
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,970
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $46,500
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $46,340

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Restaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $36,590
    Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $36,200
    Midland, TX $35,820
    San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $34,650
    Odessa, TX $34,510
    Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $33,760

    Related occupations in Abilene, TX

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $23,650
    Waiters and Waitresses $27,840
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $35,080
    Food Preparation Workers $26,560
    Bartenders $27,280
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $31,030

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Abilene?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Abilene, TX is $14.17, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.35 or more per hour.

    Is Abilene above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Abilene, TX is 20% below the national median of $36,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Abilene?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $21,740 per year in Abilene, TX. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $27,520.