Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Waco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,640 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,380 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Waco earn between $27,450 and $35,980.
- $22K10th
- $27K25th
- $32KMedian
- $36K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $31,420 | $2,618 | $15.11 |
| Median | $31,500 | $2,625 | $15.14 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,450 | $2,288 | $13.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,980 | $2,998 | $17.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Waco vs. Texas and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Waco earn 6% less than the Texas average ($33,370) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -16% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waco | $31,420 | $31,500 | $21,640 | $37,380 | 1,140 |
| Texas | $33,370 | $34,760 | $23,330 | $42,810 | 126,620 |
| 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 Waco
On the average salary of $31,420, a single filer in Waco takes home about $27,426 a year, or $2,285 a month and $1,055 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 Waco a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Waco area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.5), so the average $31,420 buys what about $33,949 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Waco ($46,020). A typical home costs $256,772, or 8.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Texas cities
Waco ranks 9th of 25 Texas metro areas for this job; Austin pays the most ($36,430).
- Austin$36,430
- Dallas$35,860
- Midland$34,460
- Odessa$33,210
- San Antonio$32,980
- Houston$32,970
- Sherman$32,220
- College Station$31,660
- Waco$31,420
- Beaumont$31,210
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 Waco: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Waco?
$15.10 an hour on average, and $15.14 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Waco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,640 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,450, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Waco?
About $27,426 a year ($2,285 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $31,420. Texas has no state income tax.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Waco than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% 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 Waco, TX (47380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 0.97, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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