Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Scranton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,370 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Scranton earn between $28,570 and $37,260.
- $22K10th
- $29K25th
- $35KMedian
- $37K75th
- $43K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,550 | $2,796 | $16.13 |
| Median | $34,870 | $2,906 | $16.76 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,570 | $2,381 | $13.74 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,260 | $3,105 | $17.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Scranton vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Scranton earn 6% less than the Pennsylvania average ($35,750) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -7% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton | $33,550 | $34,870 | $21,830 | $43,370 | 2,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,750 | $36,580 | $22,650 | $45,120 | 54,100 |
| 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 Scranton
On the average salary of $33,550, a single filer in Scranton takes home about $28,107 a year, or $2,342 a month and $1,081 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Scranton a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Scranton area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.6), so the average $33,550 buys what about $35,861 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Scranton ($46,330). A typical home costs $227,793, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Scranton ranks 11th of 16 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($38,970).
- Philadelphia$38,970
- Allentown$37,170
- Harrisburg$36,580
- York$35,860
- Lebanon$35,630
- Lancaster$35,590
- State College$35,500
- Reading$34,570
- Gettysburg$34,560
- Scranton$33,550
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 Scranton: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Scranton?
$16.13 an hour on average, and $16.76 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Scranton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Scranton?
About $28,107 a year ($2,342 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,550. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Scranton than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA (42540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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