Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Phoenix, AZ

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

Median annual salary $38,700 +5.1% vs national
Median hourly $18.60
10th percentile $34,830
90th percentile $46,940
Employed locally 25,110
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Phoenix, AZ
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $34,830
    25th
    $36,580
    50th (median)
    $38,700
    75th
    $44,860
    90th
    $46,940

    Phoenix economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $84,703 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 46% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 54% 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
    Flagstaff, AZ $36,830
    Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $36,150
    Tucson, AZ $36,020
    Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $35,880
    Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $35,110
    Yuma, AZ $34,670

    Related occupations in Phoenix, AZ

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $33,870
    Waiters and Waitresses $37,650
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $44,830
    Food Preparation Workers $36,020
    Bartenders $45,390
    Cooks, Fast Food $31,140

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ is $18.60, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.36 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Phoenix, AZ is 5.1% 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 Phoenix?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $34,830 per year in Phoenix, AZ. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,580.