Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Rochester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,360 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,430 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Rochester earn between $35,930 and $44,570.
- $34K10th
- $36K25th
- $38KMedian
- $45K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,250 | $3,354 | $19.35 |
| Median | $38,380 | $3,198 | $18.45 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,930 | $2,994 | $17.27 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,570 | $3,714 | $21.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Rochester vs. New York and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Rochester earn 7% less than the New York average ($43,150) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | $40,250 | $38,380 | $34,360 | $46,430 | 3,290 |
| New York | $43,150 | $43,680 | $34,490 | $54,240 | 71,530 |
| 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 Rochester
On the average salary of $40,250, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $32,912 a year, or $2,743 a month and $1,266 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Rochester a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rochester area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.0), so the average $40,250 buys what about $41,480 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($51,210). A typical home costs $285,034, or 7.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other New York cities
Rochester ranks 10th of 13 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($43,200).
- New York$43,200
- Kiryas Joel$42,850
- Kingston$42,230
- Ithaca$41,360
- Albany$41,320
- Utica$41,190
- Glens Falls$40,950
- Syracuse$40,660
- Buffalo$40,620
- Rochester$40,250
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 Rochester: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Rochester?
$19.35 an hour on average, and $18.45 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Rochester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,360 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,930, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Rochester?
About $32,912 a year ($2,743 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,250. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Rochester than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more 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 Rochester, NY (40380). 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 (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
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