Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Salt Lake City, UT

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Salt Lake City-Murray, UT

Median annual salary $37,330 +1.4% vs national
Median hourly $17.95
10th percentile $29,120
90th percentile $46,880
Employed locally 5,130
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Salt Lake City, UT
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $29,120
    25th
    $34,490
    50th (median)
    $37,330
    75th
    $43,650
    90th
    $46,880

    Salt Lake City economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $95,045 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 39% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 61% 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
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    Burlington-South Burlington, VT $45,450
    Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $43,770
    Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area $43,740
    Connecticut $38,020
    Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $37,640

    Related occupations in Salt Lake City, UT

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,060
    Waiters and Waitresses $30,350
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,270
    Food Preparation Workers $32,090
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $38,850
    Cooks, Fast Food $31,900

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Salt Lake City?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Salt Lake City, UT is $17.95, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.74 or more per hour.

    Is Salt Lake City above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Salt Lake City, UT is 1.4% 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 Salt Lake City?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $29,120 per year in Salt Lake City, UT. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $34,490.