Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Rapid City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,050 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,430 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Rapid City earn between $33,860 and $39,460.
- $30K10th
- $34K25th
- $36KMedian
- $39K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,770 | $3,064 | $17.68 |
| Median | $35,910 | $2,992 | $17.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $33,860 | $2,822 | $16.28 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,460 | $3,288 | $18.97 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Rapid City vs. South Dakota and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Rapid City earn about the same as the South Dakota average ($36,720) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $36,770 | $35,910 | $30,050 | $44,430 | 390 |
| South Dakota | $36,720 | $36,220 | $30,140 | $44,990 | 1,890 |
| 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 Rapid City
On the average salary of $36,770, a single filer in Rapid City takes home about $31,725 a year, or $2,644 a month and $1,220 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Rapid City a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rapid City area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.2), so the average $36,770 buys what about $41,240 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Rapid City ($46,270). A typical home costs $374,117, or 10.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other South Dakota cities
Rapid City ranks 2nd of 2 South Dakota metro areas for this job; Sioux Falls pays the most ($38,030).
- Sioux Falls$38,030
- Rapid City$36,770
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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Cooks, Restaurant salary in Rapid City: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Rapid City?
$17.68 an hour on average, and $17.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Rapid City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,050 a year and the 25th percentile is $33,860, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Rapid City?
About $31,725 a year ($2,644 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,770. South Dakota has no state income tax.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Rapid City than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Rapid City, SD (39660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.58, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.58).
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.