Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Nashville, TN

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Median annual salary $37,440 +1.7% vs national
Median hourly $18.00
10th percentile $28,210
90th percentile $46,590
Employed locally 10,170
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Nashville, TN
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,210
    25th
    $34,590
    50th (median)
    $37,440
    75th
    $44,290
    90th
    $46,590

    Nashville economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.80% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $82,499 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 45% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 55% 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
    Knoxville, TN $35,630
    Chattanooga, TN-GA $35,220
    Jackson, TN $34,670
    Memphis, TN-MS-AR $34,560
    Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $33,930
    Morristown, TN $33,060

    Related occupations in Nashville, TN

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,460
    Waiters and Waitresses $30,300
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $44,360
    Food Preparation Workers $32,770
    Cooks, Fast Food $31,650
    Bartenders $23,110

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Nashville, TN is $18.00, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.68 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Nashville, TN is 1.7% 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 Nashville?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $28,210 per year in Nashville, TN. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $34,590.