Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Medford, OR
Cooks, Restaurants in Medford, OR make a median of $36,880 a year, or about $17.73 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.43), that's roughly $36,360 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,530/month — about 60.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Medford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Medford’s Regional Price Parity (101.43). 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, restaurants
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Medford, OR
Entry-level cooks, restaurants (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $17K 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 Medford numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, restaurants make in Medford, OR?
The median is $36,880 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,720, and experienced cooks, restaurants can clear $47,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Medford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,414/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,530/month, which eats 63.4% 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 Medford?
Medford has a Regional Price Parity of 101.43 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, restaurant salary is worth about $36,360 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.