Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Fairbanks, AK

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Fairbanks-College, AK

Median annual salary $37,350 +1.4% vs national
Median hourly $17.96
10th percentile $29,470
90th percentile $44,820
Employed locally 270
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Fairbanks, AK
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $29,470
    25th
    $35,560
    50th (median)
    $37,350
    75th
    $42,760
    90th
    $44,820

    Fairbanks economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $84,722 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
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,230
    Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $39,300
    Anchorage, AK $39,140
    Yakima, WA $37,850
    Bakersfield-Delano, CA $37,630
    Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $37,330

    Related occupations in Fairbanks, AK

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $30,390
    Cooks, Fast Food $35,950
    Waiters and Waitresses $27,040
    Food Preparation Workers $36,830
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $46,640
    Bartenders $29,820

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Fairbanks, AK is $17.96, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.53 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Fairbanks, AK is 1.4% 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 Fairbanks?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $29,470 per year in Fairbanks, AK. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,560.