Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Ithaca, NY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Ithaca, NY

Median annual salary $37,870 +2.8% vs national
Median hourly $18.21
10th percentile $31,200
90th percentile $47,090
Employed locally 270
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Ithaca, NY
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,200
    25th
    $35,360
    50th (median)
    $37,870
    75th
    $43,320
    90th
    $47,090

    Ithaca economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.30% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $73,012 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 52% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 48% 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $41,980
    Kingston, NY $39,170
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $38,870
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $38,290
    Syracuse, NY $37,840

    Related occupations in Ithaca, NY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$34,090
    Waiters and Waitresses$46,610
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,840
    Bartenders$49,940
    Food Preparation Workers$35,990
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,570

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Ithaca, NY is $18.21, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $23.24 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Ithaca, NY is 2.8% 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 Ithaca?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $31,200 per year in Ithaca, NY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,360.