Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Jefferson City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $42,520 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Jefferson City earn between $29,360 and $36,920.
- $29K10th
- $29K25th
- $35KMedian
- $37K75th
- $43K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,640 | $2,887 | $16.65 |
| Median | $34,670 | $2,889 | $16.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,360 | $2,447 | $14.12 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,920 | $3,077 | $17.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Jefferson City vs. Missouri and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Jefferson City earn 10% less than the Missouri average ($38,460) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -7% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City | $34,640 | $34,670 | $28,600 | $42,520 | 460 |
| Missouri | $38,460 | $36,940 | $28,890 | $46,970 | 25,990 |
| 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 Jefferson City
On the average salary of $34,640, a single filer in Jefferson City takes home about $29,322 a year, or $2,444 a month and $1,128 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). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Is Jefferson City a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Jefferson City area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.0), so the average $34,640 buys what about $39,375 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Jefferson City ($48,030). A typical home costs $275,951, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Missouri cities
Jefferson City ranks 6th of 8 Missouri metro areas for this job; St. Louis pays the most ($40,500).
- St. Louis$40,500
- Kansas City$38,670
- St. Joseph$36,130
- Columbia$35,660
- Springfield$35,370
- Jefferson City$34,640
- Cape Girardeau$34,230
- Joplin$34,150
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 Jefferson City: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Jefferson City?
$16.65 an hour on average, and $16.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Jefferson City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,360, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Jefferson City?
About $29,322 a year ($2,444 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,640. The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Jefferson City than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Jefferson City, MO (27620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.63, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.63).
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