Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Bismarck, ND

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Bismarck, ND

Median annual salary $36,600 -0.6% vs national
Median hourly $17.59
10th percentile $27,880
90th percentile $44,720
Employed locally 820
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $27,880
    25th
    $29,530
    50th (median)
    $36,600
    75th
    $37,870
    90th
    $44,720

    Bismarck economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.30% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $83,982 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
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,230
    Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $42,050
    Kennewick-Richland, WA $39,340
    Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $39,300
    Naples-Marco Island, FL $39,270

    Related occupations in Bismarck, ND

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,940
    Waiters and Waitresses $29,980
    Bartenders $28,860
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $43,480
    Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $35,780
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $39,060

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Bismarck, ND is $17.59, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.95 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Bismarck, ND is 0.6% 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 Bismarck?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $27,880 per year in Bismarck, ND. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,530.