Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Decatur
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,580 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,120 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Decatur earn between $28,350 and $36,610.
- $24K10th
- $28K25th
- $32KMedian
- $37K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,090 | $2,758 | $15.91 |
| Median | $32,410 | $2,701 | $15.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,350 | $2,362 | $13.63 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,610 | $3,051 | $17.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Decatur vs. Alabama and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Decatur earn about the same as the Alabama average ($33,000) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $33,090 | $32,410 | $23,580 | $38,120 | 380 |
| Alabama | $33,000 | $32,180 | $24,170 | $39,220 | 16,260 |
| 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 Decatur
On the average salary of $33,090, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $27,449 a year, or $2,287 a month and $1,056 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). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Decatur a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Decatur area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.2), so the average $33,090 buys what about $37,942 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($46,280). A typical home costs $232,614, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Alabama cities
Decatur ranks 5th of 12 Alabama metro areas for this job; Huntsville pays the most ($34,970).
- Huntsville$34,970
- Birmingham$34,010
- Daphne$33,810
- Mobile$33,270
- Decatur$33,090
- Montgomery$33,000
- Tuscaloosa$32,240
- Auburn$32,020
- Florence$31,480
- Dothan$31,120
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 Decatur: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Decatur?
$15.91 an hour on average, and $15.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Decatur?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,580 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Decatur?
About $27,449 a year ($2,287 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,090. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% 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 Decatur, AL (19460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.69, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.69).
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