Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Traverse City, MI

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Traverse City, MI

Median annual salary $36,650 -0.5% vs national
Median hourly $17.62
10th percentile $28,930
90th percentile $45,590
Employed locally 980
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Traverse City, MI stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Traverse City, MI
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,930
    25th
    $30,890
    50th (median)
    $36,650
    75th
    $38,600
    90th
    $45,590

    Traverse City economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.30% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $77,495 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 47% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 53% 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
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $39,710
    Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $38,570
    Minnesota $38,220
    Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $37,540
    Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $37,420
    Ann Arbor, MI $37,410

    Related occupations in Traverse City, MI

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,600
    Waiters and Waitresses $35,950
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $39,510
    Bartenders $44,520
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $30,270
    Food Preparation Workers $32,140

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Traverse City, MI is $17.62, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.36 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Traverse City, MI is 0.5% 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 Traverse City?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $28,930 per year in Traverse City, MI. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $30,890.