Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Fayetteville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,550 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,080 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Fayetteville earn between $29,220 and $36,330.
- $29K10th
- $29K25th
- $34KMedian
- $36K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,450 | $2,788 | $16.08 |
| Median | $33,730 | $2,811 | $16.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,220 | $2,435 | $14.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,330 | $3,028 | $17.47 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Fayetteville vs. Arkansas and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Fayetteville earn 6% more than the Arkansas average ($31,650) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | $33,450 | $33,730 | $28,550 | $38,080 | 2,940 |
| Arkansas | $31,650 | $30,180 | $26,020 | $37,140 | 11,270 |
| 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 Fayetteville
On the average salary of $33,450, a single filer in Fayetteville takes home about $28,307 a year, or $2,359 a month and $1,089 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Is Fayetteville a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fayetteville area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.4), so the average $33,450 buys what about $36,616 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Fayetteville ($46,610). A typical home costs $368,497, or 11.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Arkansas cities
Fayetteville ranks 1st of 5 Arkansas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Fayetteville$33,450
- Little Rock$32,150
- Jonesboro$32,000
- Fort Smith$30,510
- Hot Springs$30,460
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 Fayetteville: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Fayetteville?
$16.08 an hour on average, and $16.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Fayetteville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,550 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,220, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Fayetteville?
About $28,307 a year ($2,359 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,450. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Fayetteville than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% 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 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR (22220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.18, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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