Cooks, Short Order pay range in Knoxville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,240 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,710 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in Knoxville earn between $25,710 and $36,190.
- $22K10th
- $26K25th
- $30KMedian
- $36K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,880 | $2,573 | $14.85 |
| Median | $30,210 | $2,518 | $14.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $25,710 | $2,142 | $12.36 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,190 | $3,016 | $17.40 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in Knoxville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in Knoxville earn about the same as the Tennessee average ($31,620) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -16% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $30,880 | $30,210 | $22,240 | $37,710 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $31,620 | $30,210 | $22,880 | $39,240 | 2,510 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,880 | $23,440 | $46,460 | 138,650 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Short Order salary after taxes in Knoxville
On the average salary of $30,880, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $26,992 a year, or $2,249 a month and $1,038 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Knoxville a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $30,880 buys what about $33,359 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 11.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other Tennessee cities
Knoxville ranks 3rd of 8 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($36,390).
- Nashville$36,390
- Memphis$31,080
- Knoxville$30,880
- Chattanooga$30,490
- Kingsport$30,260
- Clarksville$30,100
- Johnson City$29,700
- Cleveland$27,380
Highest-paying cities for cooks, short order
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($52,560).
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,530
- Seattle, WA$49,560
- Corvallis, OR$48,580
- San Francisco, CA$46,250
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Cooks, Short Order salary in Knoxville: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in Knoxville?
$14.85 an hour on average, and $14.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in Knoxville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,240 a year and the 25th percentile is $25,710, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in Knoxville?
About $26,992 a year ($2,249 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,880. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do cooks, short order earn more in Knoxville than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% less than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
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 35-2015; area Knoxville, TN (28940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- 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 0.85, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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