Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Atlanta
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,370 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,690 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Atlanta earn between $30,680 and $38,420.
- $27K10th
- $31K25th
- $37KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,780 | $2,982 | $17.20 |
| Median | $37,230 | $3,102 | $17.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,680 | $2,557 | $14.75 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,420 | $3,202 | $18.47 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Atlanta vs. Georgia and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Atlanta earn 4% more than the Georgia average ($34,430) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -0% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $35,780 | $37,230 | $27,370 | $43,690 | 29,040 |
| 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 Atlanta
On the average salary of $35,780, a single filer in Atlanta takes home about $29,892 a year, or $2,491 a month and $1,150 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Atlanta a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Atlanta area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.1), so the average $35,780 buys what about $35,759 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Atlanta ($51,170). A typical home costs $382,938, or 10.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Georgia cities
Atlanta ranks 1st of 13 Georgia metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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
- Dalton$30,930
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 Atlanta: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Atlanta?
$17.20 an hour on average, and $17.90 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Atlanta?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,370 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Atlanta?
About $29,892 a year ($2,491 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,780.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Atlanta than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (12060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- 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 1.11, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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