Cooks, Restaurant pay range in New Orleans
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,860 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in New Orleans earn between $28,190 and $37,740.
- $23K10th
- $28K25th
- $31KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,990 | $2,749 | $15.86 |
| Median | $30,520 | $2,543 | $14.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,190 | $2,349 | $13.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,740 | $3,145 | $18.14 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in New Orleans vs. Louisiana and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in New Orleans earn 8% more than the Louisiana average ($30,630) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -18% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | $32,990 | $30,520 | $23,000 | $43,860 | 4,720 |
| Louisiana | $30,630 | $29,050 | $21,970 | $39,540 | 14,910 |
| 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 New Orleans
On the average salary of $32,990, a single filer in New Orleans takes home about $28,084 a year, or $2,340 a month and $1,080 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is New Orleans a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the New Orleans area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $32,990 buys what about $35,628 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in New Orleans ($47,290). A typical home costs $261,414, or 7.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Louisiana cities
New Orleans ranks 1st of 10 Louisiana metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- New Orleans$32,990
- Baton Rouge$31,590
- Lake Charles$30,280
- Slidell$30,280
- Shreveport$29,650
- Lafayette$28,720
- Hammond$28,640
- Houma$28,530
- Alexandria$27,780
- Monroe$27,650
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 New Orleans: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in New Orleans?
$15.86 an hour on average, and $14.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in New Orleans?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,190, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in New Orleans?
About $28,084 a year ($2,340 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,990.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in New Orleans than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA (35380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
- 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 1.17, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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