Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Dover
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,560 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Dover earn between $31,200 and $37,530.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $36KMedian
- $38K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,570 | $3,048 | $17.58 |
| Median | $35,570 | $2,964 | $17.10 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,530 | $3,128 | $18.04 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Dover vs. Delaware and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Dover earn 7% less than the Delaware average ($39,190) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | $36,570 | $35,570 | $31,200 | $44,560 | 590 |
| Delaware | $39,190 | $37,840 | $31,250 | $46,940 | 5,280 |
| 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 Dover
On the average salary of $36,570, a single filer in Dover takes home about $30,101 a year, or $2,508 a month and $1,158 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Dover a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Dover area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.5), so the average $36,570 buys what about $37,505 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Dover ($46,690). A typical home costs $372,156, or 10.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in nearby metro areas
- Vineland, NJ$38,410
- Atlantic City, NJ$42,690
- Philadelphia, PA$38,970
- Baltimore, MD$39,330
- Salisbury, MD$37,090
- Lancaster, PA$35,590
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 Dover: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Dover?
$17.58 an hour on average, and $17.10 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Dover?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Dover?
About $30,101 a year ($2,508 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,570.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Dover than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Dover, DE (20100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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