Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Columbus, IN

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Columbus, IN

Median annual salary $30,100 -18.3% vs national
Median hourly $14.47
10th percentile $25,890
90th percentile $36,410
Employed locally 350
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Columbus, IN
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $25,890
    25th
    $28,600
    50th (median)
    $30,100
    75th
    $34,960
    90th
    $36,410

    Columbus economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,365 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 37% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 63% below the area median household income

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Columbus, IN is $14.47, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $19.68 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Columbus, IN is 18.3% 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 Columbus?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $25,890 per year in Columbus, IN. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $28,600.