Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Lafayette, LA
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Lafayette, LA
Median annual salary
$28,380
-22.9% vs national
Median hourly
$13.65
10th percentile
$20,530
90th percentile
$35,380
Employed locally
1,540
National median
$36,830
Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power
Type a city below to see how Lafayette, LA stacks up on salary and cost of living.
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Lafayette, LA
vs
Salary percentile breakdown
Lafayette economic context
Unemployment rate
3.80%
2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
Median household income
$60,910
2023 • Census ACS
Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income
47%
Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 53% below the area median household income
Frequently asked questions
How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Lafayette?
The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Lafayette, LA is $13.65, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.56 or more per hour.
Is Lafayette above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?
The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Lafayette, LA is 22.9% 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 Lafayette?
Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $20,530 per year in Lafayette, LA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $22,610.