Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Albany
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,880 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,870 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Albany earn between $27,680 and $34,360.
- $23K10th
- $28K25th
- $29KMedian
- $34K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,700 | $2,558 | $14.76 |
| Median | $29,150 | $2,429 | $14.01 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,680 | $2,307 | $13.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,360 | $2,863 | $16.52 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Albany vs. Georgia and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Albany earn 11% less than the Georgia average ($34,430) and 21% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -22% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | $30,700 | $29,150 | $22,880 | $36,870 | 470 |
| Georgia | $34,430 | $35,940 | $24,160 | $43,210 | 46,350 |
| 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 Albany
On the average salary of $30,700, a single filer in Albany takes home about $26,064 a year, or $2,172 a month and $1,002 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).
Is Albany a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Albany area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.7), so the average $30,700 buys what about $35,018 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Albany ($43,620). A typical home costs $168,362, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Georgia cities
Albany ranks 12th of 13 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($35,780).
- Atlanta$35,780
- Savannah$35,500
- Gainesville$33,570
- Brunswick$33,070
- Athens$32,520
- Augusta$32,440
- Warner Robins$32,410
- Rome$32,030
- Macon$31,970
- Albany$30,700
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 Albany: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Albany?
$14.76 an hour on average, and $14.01 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Albany?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,880 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Albany?
About $26,064 a year ($2,172 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,700.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Albany than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% 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 Albany, GA (10500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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