Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Worcester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,180 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Worcester earn between $37,710 and $47,080.
- $36K10th
- $38K25th
- $44KMedian
- $47K75th
- $56K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,960 | $3,663 | $21.13 |
| Median | $44,250 | $3,688 | $21.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,710 | $3,142 | $18.13 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,080 | $3,923 | $22.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Worcester vs. Massachusetts and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Worcester earn 3% less than the Massachusetts average ($45,450) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +18% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $43,960 | $44,250 | $35,990 | $56,180 | 2,490 |
| Massachusetts | $45,450 | $45,600 | $36,540 | $58,590 | 29,570 |
| 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 Worcester
On the average salary of $43,960, a single filer in Worcester takes home about $35,624 a year, or $2,969 a month and $1,370 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Worcester a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Worcester area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.5), so the average $43,960 buys what about $42,878 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Worcester ($57,830). A typical home costs $482,611, or 11.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Massachusetts cities
Worcester ranks 4th of 6 Massachusetts metro areas for this job; Barnstable pays the most ($46,830).
- Barnstable$46,830
- Boston$45,880
- Amherst$44,060
- Worcester$43,960
- Pittsfield$43,110
- Springfield$42,540
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 Worcester: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Worcester?
$21.13 an hour on average, and $21.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Worcester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,710, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Worcester?
About $35,624 a year ($2,969 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,960. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Worcester than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% 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 Worcester, MA (49340). 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). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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