Cooks Restaurant Pay Range in Kentucky
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$24,750
- 25th Percentile — Junior$28,850
- 50th Percentile — Median$34,640
- 75th Percentile — Senior$37,200
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$43,750
Half of Cooks Restaurant in Kentucky earn more than $34,640. The top 10% make $43,750 or more, while entry-level workers start around $24,750.
Cooks Restaurant in Kentucky: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Kentucky ranks 45th of 51 states for Cooks Restaurant pay, at $33,700 per year (13.0% below the U.S. average of $38,730).
- 13,510 people work as Cooks Restaurant in Kentucky — 1.0% of all U.S. Cooks Restaurant jobs.
- Location quotient 0.74: Cooks Restaurant jobs are less concentrated in Kentucky than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $24,750; the top 10% earn over $43,750.
- Hourly equivalent: $16.2 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is Washington at $47,200.
- Among hospitality jobs in Kentucky, Chefs and Head Cooks pays the most ($55,770).
Cooks Restaurant Job Market in Kentucky
Key factors affecting compensation
Kentucky's key industries are Manufacturing, Healthcare, Agriculture, and its job market is rated moderate. Cooks Restaurant here earn $33,700 on average, placing the state 45th nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 0.83 (U.S. = 1.00), a Kentucky salary of $33,700 is roughly equivalent to $40,602 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Kansas ($34,900), Georgia ($34,430), Indiana ($34,150) are the closest alternatives for Cooks Restaurant weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Hospitality Jobs in Kentucky
Related career salary benchmarks
- Chefs and Head Cooks $55,770/yr Kentucky +65.5% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation $39,320/yr Kentucky +16.7% vs this role
- Waiters and Waitresses $35,410/yr Kentucky +5.1% vs this role
- Bartenders $34,970/yr Kentucky +3.8% vs this role
- Cooks Institution and Cafeteria $33,790/yr Kentucky +0.3% vs this role
- Fast Food and Counter Workers $26,890/yr Kentucky 20.2% vs this role
- Dining Room Attendants and Bartender Helpers $26,350/yr Kentucky 21.8% vs this role
- Cooks Fast Food $25,300/yr Kentucky 24.9% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Cooks Restaurant salary in Kentucky?
The average Cooks Restaurant salary in Kentucky is $33,700 per year (median $34,640), which is 13.0% below the national average of $38,730.
How does Kentucky rank for Cooks Restaurant pay?
Kentucky ranks 45th out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is Washington ($47,200/yr).
How much do entry-level Cooks Restaurant make in Kentucky?
The lowest-paid 10% of Cooks Restaurant in Kentucky earn about $24,750 per year and the 25th percentile is $28,850.
How much do Cooks Restaurant make per hour in Kentucky?
About $16.2 per hour, based on the $33,700 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Cooks Restaurant work in Kentucky?
BLS counts 13,510 Cooks Restaurant jobs in Kentucky (OEWS May 2025).
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