Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Rochester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,680 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,100 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Rochester earn between $36,480 and $44,030.
- $31K10th
- $36K25th
- $38KMedian
- $44K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,310 | $3,276 | $18.90 |
| Median | $38,150 | $3,179 | $18.34 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,480 | $3,040 | $17.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,030 | $3,669 | $21.17 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Rochester vs. Minnesota and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Rochester earn about the same as the Minnesota average ($40,210) and about the same as the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | $39,310 | $38,150 | $30,680 | $46,100 | 1,060 |
| Minnesota | $40,210 | $38,590 | $31,280 | $47,850 | 26,080 |
| 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 Rochester
On the average salary of $39,310, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $32,481 a year, or $2,707 a month and $1,249 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Is Rochester a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rochester area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.8), so the average $39,310 buys what about $43,283 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($60,620). A typical home costs $343,121, or 8.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Minnesota cities
Rochester ranks 2nd of 5 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($41,850).
- Minneapolis$41,850
- Rochester$39,310
- Mankato$37,700
- St. Cloud$37,040
- Duluth$37,020
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 Rochester: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Rochester?
$18.90 an hour on average, and $18.34 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Rochester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,680 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Rochester?
About $32,481 a year ($2,707 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,310. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Rochester 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 Rochester, MN (40340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- 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). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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