Cooks, All Other Salary
Cooks, All Others in Texas make a median of $32,150 a year, or about $15.46 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $35,140 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 61.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Texas?
About cooks, all others
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Texas
Pay for cooks, all other in Texas runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 60.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cooks, all others.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level cooks, all others (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, All Other salary by metro in Texas
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $40K | +25% | 100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $36K | +10% | 1,810 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $35K | +9% | 420 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $33K | +3% | 290 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $28K | -13% | 860 |
| Waco | $28K | -14% | 60 |
| El Paso | $27K | -15% | 140 |
| Killeen-Temple | $26K | -19% | 40 |
| College Station-Bryan | $26K | -20% | 50 |
| Lubbock | $25K | -23% | 80 |
| Laredo | $24K | -24% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track cooks, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 60.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, all others in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, all others typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,536/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 92% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooks, all other a high-paying job in Texas?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $32K here vs. $38K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for cooks, all others?
Texas pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, all others make in Texas?
The median is $32,150 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,600, and experienced cooks, all others can clear $41,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,323/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 60.9% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $35,140 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.