Cooks, All Other Salary in Reading, PA
Cooks, All Others in Reading, PA make a median of $36,400 a year, or about $17.5 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $37,503 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,575/month — about 62.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cooks, all others
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level cooks, all others (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $67K | +85% | 240 |
| Washington | $54K | +50% | 110 |
| Nevada | $50K | +37% | 350 |
| Illinois | $47K | +30% | 170 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +23% | 590 |
| Alaska | $43K | +19% | 40 |
| Indiana | $42K | +17% | 80 |
| Kentucky | $42K | +17% | 90 |
| New York | $42K | +17% | 1,260 |
| Idaho | $42K | +16% | N/A |
| Montana | $41K | +14% | 220 |
| Oregon | $41K | +12% | 490 |
| Ohio | $40K | +11% | N/A |
| Vermont | $40K | +11% | 190 |
| Florida | $40K | +10% | 1,120 |
| California | $39K | +9% | 4,420 |
| Utah | $39K | +9% | 50 |
| Minnesota | $39K | +9% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $39K | +9% | 60 |
| Hawaii | $38K | +5% | 120 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +2% | 90 |
| Arizona | $36K | +0% | 490 |
| Michigan | $36K | -1% | 580 |
| Georgia | $36K | -2% | 520 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -2% | 2,710 |
| Connecticut | $35K | -3% | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -3% | 870 |
| Missouri | $35K | -4% | N/A |
| Virginia | $34K | -6% | 710 |
| Maryland | $33K | -8% | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $33K | -10% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -12% | 120 |
| Iowa | $31K | -14% | 310 |
| Texas | $31K | -14% | 5,130 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -18% | 620 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -24% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Reading numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, all others make in Reading, PA?
The median is $36,400 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,790, and experienced cooks, all others can clear $46,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,514/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 62.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cooks, all other salary go in Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, all other salary is worth about $37,503 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, all others get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.