Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Jonesboro
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,650 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Jonesboro earn between $28,490 and $35,640.
- $27K10th
- $28K25th
- $30KMedian
- $36K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15.38 |
| Median | $30,190 | $2,516 | $14.51 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,490 | $2,374 | $13.70 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,640 | $2,970 | $17.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Jonesboro vs. Arkansas and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Jonesboro earn about the same as the Arkansas average ($31,650) and 17% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonesboro | $32,000 | $30,190 | $26,780 | $37,650 | 540 |
| 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 Jonesboro
On the average salary of $32,000, a single filer in Jonesboro takes home about $27,196 a year, or $2,266 a month and $1,046 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 Jonesboro a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Jonesboro area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $32,000 buys what about $37,263 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Jonesboro ($42,240). A typical home costs $205,822, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Arkansas cities
Jonesboro ranks 3rd of 5 Arkansas metro areas for this job; Fayetteville pays the most ($33,450).
- 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 Jonesboro: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Jonesboro?
$15.39 an hour on average, and $14.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Jonesboro?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,490, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Jonesboro?
About $27,196 a year ($2,266 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,000. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Jonesboro than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% 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 Jonesboro, AR (27860). 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 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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