Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Watertown, NY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

Median annual salary $36,480 -1% vs national
Median hourly $17.54
10th percentile $31,200
90th percentile $44,870
Employed locally 340
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Watertown, NY
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,200
    25th
    $32,930
    50th (median)
    $36,480
    75th
    $38,030
    90th
    $44,870

    Watertown economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.40% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $64,978 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 56% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 44% 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
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $41,980
    Kingston, NY $39,170
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $38,870
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $38,290
    Ithaca, NY $37,870

    Related occupations in Watertown, NY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $31,800
    Waiters and Waitresses $40,720
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,130
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $33,710
    Bartenders $37,020
    Food Preparation Workers $33,070

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Watertown, NY is $17.54, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.14 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Watertown, NY is 1% 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 Watertown?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $31,200 per year in Watertown, NY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $32,930.