Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Lexington, KY
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Lexington-Fayette, KY
Median annual salary
$34,520
-6.3% vs national
Median hourly
$16.60
10th percentile
$23,970
90th percentile
$41,830
Employed locally
2,390
National median
$36,830
Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power
Type a city below to see how Lexington, KY stacks up on salary and cost of living.
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Lexington, KY
vs
Salary percentile breakdown
Lexington economic context
Unemployment rate
4.20%
2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
Median household income
$70,717
2023 • Census ACS
Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income
49%
Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 51% below the area median household income
Frequently asked questions
How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Lexington?
The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Lexington, KY is $16.60, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.00 or more per hour.
Is Lexington above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?
The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Lexington, KY is 6.3% 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 Lexington?
Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $23,970 per year in Lexington, KY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,270.