Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Columbia, MO

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Columbia, MO

Median annual salary $33,850 -8.1% vs national
Median hourly $16.27
10th percentile $27,580
90th percentile $39,870
Employed locally 1,200
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Columbia, MO
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $27,580
    25th
    $28,510
    50th (median)
    $33,850
    75th
    $36,220
    90th
    $39,870

    Columbia economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $69,463 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 49% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 51% below the area median household income

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Columbia, MO is $16.27, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.36 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Columbia, MO is 8.1% 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 Columbia?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $27,580 per year in Columbia, MO. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $28,510.