Cooks, Restaurant pay in the US: advertised rates, October 2026
By YourJobs Editorial
Based on 3,533 Cooks, Restaurant postings on yourjobs.com between 20 September and 20 October 2026, of which 24% stated pay. The median advertised hourly rate was $23.89 (n = 840 postings with pay); the middle half of postings offered $18.00 to $23.89. This page was built 20 October 2026.
Advertised pay
| Measure | Hourly | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $18.00 | $37,440 |
| Median advertised hourly rate | $23.89 | $49,691 |
| 75th percentile | $23.89 | $49,691 |
| Highest advertised rate we recorded | $76.92 | $159,994 |
Sample
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Postings, 20 September to 20 October 2026 | 3,533 |
| Postings that stated pay | 840 (24%) |
| Pay figures that came with a stated period | 95% |
| Postings with an employment type recorded | 2,272 (64%) |
| Full time, of postings with a type recorded | 20% |
| Part time, of postings with a type recorded | 79% |
| Employers | 190 |
| Cities | 417 |
Highest advertised rate we recorded
This is one posting, shown with its evidence. It is the top of the range, not a typical rate.
- Rate
- $76.92 per hour (hourly equivalent)
- Figure in posting (period inferred as year)
- $160,000 per year
- Job title
- Corporate Chef Manager - Field Sales
- Employer
- Stouffers
- Location
- Denver, Colorado
- First seen
- 18 October 2026
- Posting text
- “…The approximate pay range for this position is $160,000-to $170,000. Please note that the pay range provi…”
- Posting
- View this job, still open
Employers posting the most Cooks, Restaurant jobs in the US
| Employer | Postings | Median advertised hourly rate | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applebee's Grill + Bar - Epping | 677 | Open jobs | |
| Chuy's - Cool Springs | 452 | Open jobs | |
| Aramark | 434 | $25.10 | Open jobs |
| Dairy Queen - Weimar | 254 | Open jobs | |
| Boise Centre | 240 | $23.89 | Open jobs |
| Chuy's - Huntsville | 234 | Open jobs | |
| Upshift | 202 | $25.00 | Open jobs |
| Suburban Inns | 173 | $18.00 | Open jobs |
| Zaxby's | 82 | Open jobs | |
| New Horizon Foods | 52 | Open jobs |
A median is shown only where at least 30 of the employer's postings stated pay. Employers are counted by name as posted.
Cooks, Restaurant pay by state
| State | Postings | Median advertised hourly rate | Pay page |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 726 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in New Hampshire | |
| Michigan | 660 | $18.00 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Michigan |
| Tennessee | 486 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Tennessee | |
| Texas | 318 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Texas | |
| Alabama | 244 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Alabama | |
| Idaho | 240 | $23.89 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Idaho |
| Ohio | 154 | $25.00 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Ohio |
| Georgia | 76 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Georgia | |
| Minnesota | 72 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Minnesota | |
| Massachusetts | 59 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Massachusetts | |
| California | 51 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in California | |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Pennsylvania | |
| Indiana | 40 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Indiana | |
| Wisconsin | 33 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Wisconsin | |
| Arizona | 30 | Cooks, Restaurant pay in Arizona |
Month by month
| Month | Postings | With pay | Median hourly | 25th pct | 75th pct | Remote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 (to date) | 3,486 | 826 | $23.89 | $18.00 | $23.89 | 0% |
| September 2026 | 121 | 23 | 0% | |||
| August 2026 | 42 | 11 | 0% |
A month is the month a posting was first seen. Pay cells are blank where fewer than 30 postings stated pay.
Data collection began on 20 October 2026. Earlier months contain only postings that were still live on that date, so they are partial.
Comparison with official earnings data
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage for this occupation was $35,780 (national). Advertised pay and earned pay are different measures.
Related pages
- Current Cooks, Restaurant jobs
- Top employers hiring in the US
- Pay data for all occupations
- How the data is collected and calculated
Notes and sources
Hourly equivalents assume 2,080 hours a year (40 x 52); daily 8 hours; weekly 40 hours. Advertised pay is what employers posted, not what workers earn.
Source: yourjobs.com job postings (ClickCast feed), parsed as described on the methodology page. Updated daily; this page was built 20 October 2026, 07:15.
Download the data: pay by occupation and state (CSV), licensed CC BY 4.0.
Cite as:
YourJobs (2026). Advertised pay for Cooks, Restaurant in the US, 20 September to 20 October 2026. https://yourjobs.com/pay/restaurant-cooks