Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Cooks, Restaurants in Lansing-East Lansing, MI make a median of $36,450 a year, or about $17.52 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $38,372 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month — about 51% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level cooks, restaurants (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Restaurant pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $46K | +26% | 31,640 |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +23% | 8,020 |
| Washington | $45K | +22% | 34,790 |
| Maine | $45K | +22% | 4,920 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +21% | 12,190 |
| Vermont | $45K | +21% | 2,710 |
| California | $44K | +20% | 160,270 |
| New York | $40K | +8% | 62,430 |
| New Hampshire | $39K | +6% | 6,980 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | +6% | 6,490 |
| Alaska | $39K | +5% | 2,480 |
| Minnesota | $38K | +4% | 26,900 |
| New Jersey | $38K | +3% | 30,720 |
| Oregon | $38K | +3% | 18,970 |
| Connecticut | $38K | +3% | 13,940 |
| Arizona | $38K | +3% | 34,740 |
| Maryland | $37K | +2% | 19,260 |
| Nevada | $37K | +1% | 25,960 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | +0% | 24,360 |
| Montana | $37K | +0% | 8,170 |
| Delaware | $37K | -0% | 5,460 |
| Nebraska | $37K | -0% | 5,050 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -0% | 3,250 |
| Illinois | $37K | -1% | 61,630 |
| Virginia | $37K | -1% | 41,010 |
| Michigan | $37K | -1% | 37,860 |
| Utah | $37K | -1% | 11,630 |
| Florida | $36K | -1% | 134,480 |
| North Dakota | $36K | -2% | 4,400 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -3% | 27,300 |
| Iowa | $36K | -3% | 13,310 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -3% | 26,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -4% | 54,830 |
| Missouri | $35K | -4% | 28,390 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -4% | 50,400 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -5% | 1,880 |
| Georgia | $35K | -5% | 49,320 |
| Indiana | $35K | -5% | 27,640 |
| Idaho | $35K | -5% | 8,290 |
| Ohio | $35K | -6% | 49,880 |
| Kansas | $34K | -7% | 11,790 |
| New Mexico | $34K | -7% | 8,730 |
| Texas | $34K | -8% | 125,880 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -16% | 14,400 |
| Oklahoma | $31K | -17% | 18,760 |
| Alabama | $30K | -18% | 18,370 |
| Mississippi | $30K | -20% | 9,710 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -20% | 10,450 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -22% | 15,130 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -22% | 6,370 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, restaurant salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, restaurants make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $36,450 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,180, and experienced cooks, restaurants can clear $44,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,481/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 51.1% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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, restaurant salary is worth about $38,372 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.