Cooks, Restaurant Salary
Cooks, Restaurants in Colorado make a median of $41,600 a year, or about $20 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Colorado?
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level cooks, restaurants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Restaurant salary by metro in Colorado
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $44K | +7% | 15,410 |
| Boulder | $42K | +1% | 2,190 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $38K | -8% | 1,930 |
| Colorado Springs | $38K | -9% | 3,330 |
| Greeley | $37K | -11% | 1,000 |
| Grand Junction | $36K | -12% | 690 |
| Pueblo | $36K | -14% | 580 |
Compare to other states
Track cooks, restaurant salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, restaurant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 72.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, restaurants in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, restaurants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,075/month.
Is cooks, restaurant a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $42K here vs. $37K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for cooks, restaurants?
Colorado pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +11%.
How much do cooks, restaurants make in Colorado?
The median is $41,600 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,590, and experienced cooks, restaurants can clear $49,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,803/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 72.9% 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, restaurant salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, restaurant salary is worth about $41,600 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, restaurants 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.