Cooks, Restaurant Salary in East Central Illinois

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area

Median annual salary $33,200 -9.9% vs national
Median hourly $15.96
10th percentile $29,120
90th percentile $42,210
Employed locally 1,310
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how East Central Illinois stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
East Central Illinois
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $29,120
    25th
    $29,790
    50th (median)
    $33,200
    75th
    $35,870
    90th
    $42,210

    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

    Related occupations in East Central Illinois

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $30,140
    Waiters and Waitresses $29,120
    Bartenders $29,120
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $36,960
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $35,840
    Cooks, Fast Food $29,120

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in East Central Illinois?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in East Central Illinois is $15.96, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.45 or more per hour.

    Is East Central Illinois above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in East Central Illinois is 9.9% 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 East Central Illinois?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $29,120 per year in East Central Illinois. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,790.