Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Staunton, VA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA

Median annual salary $34,530 -6.2% vs national
Median hourly $16.60
10th percentile $28,200
90th percentile $42,250
Employed locally 500
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Staunton, VA stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Staunton, VA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,200
    25th
    $29,000
    50th (median)
    $34,530
    75th
    $36,050
    90th
    $42,250

    Staunton economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $70,949 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 49% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 51% 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
    Vallejo, CA $43,820
    North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $42,140
    Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $42,050
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $39,260
    Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $37,710

    Related occupations in Staunton, VA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,470
    Waiters and Waitresses $36,260
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,280
    Bartenders $36,260
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $32,760
    Food Preparation Workers $30,510

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Staunton, VA is $16.60, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.99 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Staunton, VA is 6.2% 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 Staunton?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $28,200 per year in Staunton, VA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,000.