Cooks, Restaurant · Washington

Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Washington

Cooks, Restaurant in Washington earn a median annual wage of $46,800 —25.2% above the national median of $37,390. That ranks WA #1 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$46,800
Median hourly
$22.50
Entry level (P10)
$37,940
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$57,910
90th percentile
Employment
35,140
9.9 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+25.2%
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
$37,940
$42,770
$46,800
$49,540
$37,940$46,800$57,910
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $46,800.

Employment concentration (1.09×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for cooks, restaurant

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Washington 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 Washington

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Washington.

OccupationWashington medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$37,710$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$56,130$35,230
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$59,400$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$40,910$35,320
Bartenders$55,830$34,340
Cooks, Fast Food$39,120$30,890

Frequently asked questions

How much do cooks, restaurant make in Washington?

The median annual wage for cooks, restaurant in Washington is $46,800, or $22.50 per hour. That is 25.2% above the national median of $37,390.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $37,940 per year ($18.24/hour). The 25th percentile is $42,770.

How many people work as cooks, restaurant in Washington?

About 35,140 people work in this occupation in Washington, or 9.9 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Washington a good state for cooks, restaurant?

Washington ranks #1 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.09x) 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