Cooks, Restaurant Salary in New York, NY-NJ

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Median annual salary $41,980 +14% vs national
Median hourly $20.18
10th percentile $33,610
90th percentile $56,630
Employed locally 62,890
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how New York, NY-NJ stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Cooks, Restaurant
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $33,610
    25th
    $36,400
    50th (median)
    $41,980
    75th
    $46,600
    90th
    $56,630

    New York economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $97,334 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 43% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 57% 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
    Kingston, NY $39,170
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $38,870
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $38,290
    Ithaca, NY $37,870
    Syracuse, NY $37,840

    Related occupations in New York, NY-NJ

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $35,420
    Waiters and Waitresses $45,010
    Food Preparation Workers $36,330
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $48,540
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $37,250
    Bartenders $59,030

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in New York?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in New York, NY-NJ is $20.18, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $26.08 or more per hour.

    Is New York above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in New York, NY-NJ is 14% 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 New York?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $33,610 per year in New York, NY-NJ. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,400.