Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Watertown
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,240 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,970 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Watertown earn between $34,440 and $39,270.
- $32K10th
- $34K25th
- $37KMedian
- $39K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,820 | $3,152 | $18.18 |
| Median | $36,830 | $3,069 | $17.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,440 | $2,870 | $16.56 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,270 | $3,272 | $18.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Watertown vs. New York and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Watertown earn 12% less than the New York average ($43,150) and about the same as the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | $37,820 | $36,830 | $32,240 | $43,970 | 360 |
| 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 Watertown
On the average salary of $37,820, a single filer in Watertown takes home about $31,093 a year, or $2,591 a month and $1,196 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 Watertown a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Watertown area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.7), so the average $37,820 buys what about $43,129 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Watertown ($47,600). A typical home costs $230,401, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other New York cities
Watertown ranks 13th 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
- Watertown$37,820
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 Watertown: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Watertown?
$18.18 an hour on average, and $17.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Watertown?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,240 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,440, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Watertown?
About $31,093 a year ($2,591 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,820. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Watertown than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY (48060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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