Cooks, Restaurant Salary
Cooks, Restaurants in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area make a median of $28,000 a year, or about $13.46 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $35K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $28K actually covers in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area, month by month
About cooks, restaurants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area
Entry-level cooks, restaurants (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $35K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Restaurant pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cooks, Restaurant salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $47K | +25% | 35,140 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +23% | 7,720 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +22% | 29,570 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +21% | 11,090 |
| Vermont | $45K | +21% | 2,360 |
| Maine | $45K | +21% | 5,130 |
| California | $45K | +20% | 152,250 |
| New York | $44K | +17% | 71,530 |
| Oregon | $43K | +15% | 21,550 |
| Colorado | $42K | +11% | 30,600 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | +8% | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $40K | +7% | 2,350 |
| Connecticut | $39K | +6% | 14,830 |
| Arizona | $39K | +3% | 30,870 |
| Nevada | $39K | +3% | 27,250 |
| Minnesota | $39K | +3% | 26,080 |
| New Jersey | $38K | +3% | 28,800 |
| Montana | $38K | +2% | 7,580 |
| Delaware | $38K | +1% | 5,280 |
| Maryland | $38K | +1% | 17,690 |
| Illinois | $38K | +1% | 53,540 |
| Nebraska | $37K | -1% | 4,750 |
| Florida | $37K | -1% | 124,040 |
| Michigan | $37K | -1% | 39,100 |
| Missouri | $37K | -1% | 25,990 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -1% | 2,710 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 40,310 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -2% | 54,100 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -2% | 25,410 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -2% | 6,950 |
| Utah | $36K | -2% | 10,520 |
| North Dakota | $36K | -2% | 4,490 |
| Idaho | $36K | -3% | 8,130 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -3% | 28,220 |
| South Dakota | $36K | -3% | 1,890 |
| Georgia | $36K | -4% | 46,350 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -4% | 25,890 |
| Iowa | $36K | -5% | 12,270 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 46,910 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -5% | 50,150 |
| Indiana | $35K | -6% | 26,960 |
| Kansas | $35K | -6% | 11,620 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -6% | 7,810 |
| Texas | $35K | -7% | 126,620 |
| Kentucky | $35K | -7% | 13,510 |
| Alabama | $32K | -14% | 16,260 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -15% | 17,050 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -19% | 11,270 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -21% | 6,450 |
| Mississippi | $30K | -21% | 10,770 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -22% | 14,910 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cooks, restaurant salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a cooks, restaurant afford a 2BR apartment alone in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 60% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,180/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, restaurants in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, restaurants typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,702/month.
Is cooks, restaurant a high-paying job in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $28K here vs. $37K nationally.
How does East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area compare to the national average for cooks, restaurants?
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -25%.
How much do cooks, restaurants make in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
The median is $28,000 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,910, and experienced cooks, restaurants can clear $35,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,968/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,180/month, which eats 60% 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 East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 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 $28,000 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.