Cooks, Restaurant · Massachusetts

Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Massachusetts

Cooks, Restaurant in Massachusetts earn a median annual wage of $45,600 —22.0% above the national median of $37,390. That ranks MA #3 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$45,600
Median hourly
$21.92
Entry level (P10)
$36,540
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$58,590
90th percentile
Employment
29,570
8.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+22.0%
U.S. $37,390

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$36,540
$38,370
$45,600
$49,040
$36,540$45,600$58,590
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $45,600.

Employment concentration (0.90×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for cooks, restaurant

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Massachusetts is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Washington$46,800$22.5035,1401.09
2District of Columbia$46,130$22.187,7201.21
3Massachusetts$45,600$21.9229,5700.90
4Hawaii$45,420$21.8411,0901.95
5Vermont$45,390$21.822,3600.86
6Maine$45,290$21.785,1300.88
7California$44,880$21.58152,2500.92
8New York$43,680$21.0071,5300.81
9Oregon$43,100$20.7221,5501.21
10Colorado$41,600$20.0030,6001.17

Related occupations in Massachusetts

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Massachusetts.

OccupationMassachusetts medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$35,850$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$38,460$35,230
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,600$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$38,900$35,320
Bartenders$37,440$34,340
Cooks, Fast Food$37,870$30,890

Frequently asked questions

How much do cooks, restaurant make in Massachusetts?

The median annual wage for cooks, restaurant in Massachusetts is $45,600, or $21.92 per hour. That is 22.0% above the national median of $37,390.

What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Massachusetts?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $36,540 per year ($17.57/hour). The 25th percentile is $38,370.

How many people work as cooks, restaurant in Massachusetts?

About 29,570 people work in this occupation in Massachusetts, or 8.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Massachusetts a good state for cooks, restaurant?

Massachusetts ranks #3 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.90x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays cooks, restaurant the most?

Washington has the highest median wage at $46,800 per year, followed by District of Columbia ($46,130) and Massachusetts ($45,600).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes