Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,310 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Columbus earn between $27,590 and $34,490.
- $23K10th
- $28K25th
- $30KMedian
- $34K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,880 | $2,573 | $14.85 |
| Median | $30,470 | $2,539 | $14.65 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,590 | $2,299 | $13.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,490 | $2,874 | $16.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Columbus vs. Georgia and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Columbus earn 10% less than the Georgia average ($34,430) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $30,880 | $30,470 | $23,000 | $37,310 | 1,130 |
| Georgia | $34,430 | $35,940 | $24,160 | $43,210 | 46,350 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Restaurant salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $30,880, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $26,200 a year, or $2,183 a month and $1,008 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in GA | $26,200 | $2,183 |
| Working in AL | $25,777 | $2,148 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbus a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $30,880 buys what about $34,582 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($43,540). A typical home costs $209,527, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Georgia cities
Columbus ranks 11th of 13 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($35,780).
- Atlanta$35,780
- Savannah$35,500
- Gainesville$33,570
- Brunswick$33,070
- Athens$32,520
- Augusta$32,440
- Warner Robins$32,410
- Rome$32,030
- Macon$31,970
- Columbus$30,880
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in Columbus: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Columbus?
$14.85 an hour on average, and $14.65 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,590, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Columbus?
About $26,200 a year ($2,183 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,880.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2014; area Columbus, GA-AL (17980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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