Cooks, Short Order Salary in Memphis, TN-MS-AR

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Median annual salary $29,000 -18.6% vs national
Median hourly $13.94
10th percentile $21,770
90th percentile $39,030
Employed locally 520
National median $35,620

Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Memphis, TN-MS-AR stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Cooks, Short Order
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $21,770
    25th
    $24,550
    50th (median)
    $29,000
    75th
    $33,750
    90th
    $39,030

    Memphis economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $64,743 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income 45% Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 55% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Short Order

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,970
    Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,700
    Barnstable Town, MA $46,830
    Arizona $46,240
    Washington $46,010
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,010

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Short Order salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $30,730
    Knoxville, TN $28,580
    Clarksville, TN-KY $28,550
    Johnson City, TN $28,460
    Morristown, TN $28,290
    Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $28,190

    Related occupations in Memphis, TN-MS-AR

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$27,730
    Waiters and Waitresses$24,780
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$37,490
    Cooks, Restaurant$34,560
    Food Preparation Workers$27,430
    Cooks, Fast Food$26,520

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Short Order make per hour in Memphis?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in Memphis, TN-MS-AR is $13.94, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $18.01 or more per hour.

    Is Memphis above or below average for Cooks, Short Order salaries?

    The median Cooks, Short Order salary in Memphis, TN-MS-AR is 18.6% below the national median of $35,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Short Order in Memphis?

    Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $21,770 per year in Memphis, TN-MS-AR. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $24,550.