Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Houston, TX

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX

Median annual salary $33,760 -8.3% vs national
Median hourly $16.23
10th percentile $25,430
90th percentile $42,970
Employed locally 32,020
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Houston, TX
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $25,430
    25th
    $28,730
    50th (median)
    $33,760
    75th
    $36,720
    90th
    $42,970

    Houston economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.40% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,458 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 42% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 58% 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
    Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $36,590
    Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $36,200
    Midland, TX $35,820
    San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $34,650
    Odessa, TX $34,510
    Sherman-Denison, TX $30,230

    Related occupations in Houston, TX

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $26,960
    Waiters and Waitresses $26,830
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $37,200
    Food Preparation Workers $29,770
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $26,370
    Bartenders $26,990

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Houston, TX is $16.23, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $18.45 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Houston, TX is 8.3% 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 Houston?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $25,430 per year in Houston, TX. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $28,730.