Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Athens
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $40,180 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Athens earn between $28,530 and $35,500.
- $24K10th
- $29K25th
- $34KMedian
- $36K75th
- $40K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,520 | $2,710 | $15.63 |
| Median | $33,540 | $2,795 | $16.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,530 | $2,378 | $13.72 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,500 | $2,958 | $17.07 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Athens vs. Georgia and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Athens earn 6% less than the Georgia average ($34,430) and 16% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | $32,520 | $33,540 | $23,990 | $40,180 | 1,120 |
| Georgia | $34,430 | $35,940 | $24,160 | $43,210 | 46,350 |
| 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 Athens
On the average salary of $32,520, a single filer in Athens takes home about $27,436 a year, or $2,286 a month and $1,055 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Athens a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Athens area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.3), so the average $32,520 buys what about $34,839 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Athens ($41,220). A typical home costs $373,118, or 11.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Georgia cities
Athens ranks 5th of 13 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($35,780).
- Atlanta$35,780
- Savannah$35,500
- Gainesville$33,570
- Brunswick$33,070
- Athens$32,520
- Augusta$32,440
- Warner Robins$32,410
- Rome$32,030
- Macon$31,970
- Dalton$30,930
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 Athens: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Athens?
$15.64 an hour on average, and $16.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Athens?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,530, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Athens?
About $27,436 a year ($2,286 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,520.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Athens than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA (12020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.29, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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