Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Baltimore, MD

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Median annual salary $36,690 -0.4% vs national
Median hourly $17.64
10th percentile $31,200
90th percentile $44,300
Employed locally 8,640
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Baltimore, MD
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,200
    25th
    $34,790
    50th (median)
    $36,690
    75th
    $40,040
    90th
    $44,300

    Baltimore economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $97,300 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 38% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 62% 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
    Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $42,050
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $37,040
    Lexington Park, MD $36,430
    Salisbury, MD $35,360
    Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $31,980

    Related occupations in Baltimore, MD

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $31,200
    Waiters and Waitresses $34,770
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $41,420
    Bartenders $34,560
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $36,010
    Food Preparation Workers $34,100

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Baltimore, MD is $17.64, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.53 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Baltimore, MD is 0.4% 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 Baltimore?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $31,200 per year in Baltimore, MD. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $34,790.