Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Buffalo, NY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

Median annual salary $37,700 +2.4% vs national
Median hourly $18.12
10th percentile $31,200
90th percentile $47,920
Employed locally 3,990
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Buffalo, NY
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,200
    25th
    $36,500
    50th (median)
    $37,700
    75th
    $43,740
    90th
    $47,920

    Buffalo economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $70,572 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 53% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 47% 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
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $41,980
    Kingston, NY $39,170
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $38,870
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $38,290
    Ithaca, NY $37,870

    Related occupations in Buffalo, NY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $34,240
    Waiters and Waitresses $46,820
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $42,290
    Bartenders $49,950
    Food Preparation Workers $34,270
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $34,020

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Buffalo, NY is $18.12, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.30 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Buffalo, NY is 2.4% above 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 Buffalo?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $31,200 per year in Buffalo, NY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,500.