Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Reading, PA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Reading, PA

Median annual salary $35,360 -4% vs national
Median hourly $17.00
10th percentile $21,280
90th percentile $44,920
Employed locally 1,510
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Reading, PA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $21,280
    25th
    $28,540
    50th (median)
    $35,360
    75th
    $37,870
    90th
    $44,920

    Reading economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.70% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $77,684 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
    Napa, CA $46,270
    San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $42,290
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $39,710
    Grants Pass, OR $37,760
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $37,040
    Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $36,750

    Related occupations in Reading, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,320
    Waiters and Waitresses $29,020
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,510
    Bartenders $25,050
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $35,740
    Food Preparation Workers $30,400

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Reading, PA is $17.00, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.55 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Reading, PA is 4% 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 Reading?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $21,280 per year in Reading, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $28,540.