Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Valdosta
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,760 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,890 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Valdosta earn between $25,490 and $34,080.
- $23K10th
- $25K25th
- $30KMedian
- $34K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $29,940 | $2,495 | $14.39 |
| Median | $29,880 | $2,490 | $14.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $25,490 | $2,124 | $12.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,080 | $2,840 | $16.38 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Valdosta vs. Georgia and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Valdosta earn 13% less than the Georgia average ($34,430) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -20% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdosta | $29,940 | $29,880 | $22,760 | $35,890 | 680 |
| 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 Valdosta
On the average salary of $29,940, a single filer in Valdosta takes home about $25,491 a year, or $2,124 a month and $980 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 Valdosta a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Valdosta area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.3), so the average $29,940 buys what about $33,918 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Valdosta ($39,110). A typical home costs $226,628, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Georgia cities
Valdosta ranks 13th 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
- Valdosta$29,940
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 Valdosta: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Valdosta?
$14.39 an hour on average, and $14.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Valdosta?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,760 a year and the 25th percentile is $25,490, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Valdosta?
About $25,491 a year ($2,124 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $29,940.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Valdosta than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 Valdosta, GA (46660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 1.39, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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