Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Boise
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,410 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Boise earn between $34,070 and $42,790.
- $27K10th
- $34K25th
- $37KMedian
- $43K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $38,110 | $3,176 | $18.32 |
| Median | $37,230 | $3,102 | $17.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,070 | $2,839 | $16.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,790 | $3,566 | $20.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Boise vs. Idaho and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Boise earn 3% more than the Idaho average ($36,970) and about the same as 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | $38,110 | $37,230 | $27,170 | $47,410 | 3,700 |
| Idaho | $36,970 | $36,440 | $25,470 | $47,020 | 8,130 |
| 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 Boise
On the average salary of $38,110, a single filer in Boise takes home about $31,890 a year, or $2,657 a month and $1,227 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). Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
Is Boise a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boise area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.4), so the average $38,110 buys what about $38,733 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Boise ($49,100). A typical home costs $496,288, or 13.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Idaho cities
Boise ranks 2nd of 6 Idaho metro areas for this job; Coeur d'Alene pays the most ($39,760).
- Coeur d'Alene$39,760
- Boise$38,110
- Lewiston$37,330
- Idaho Falls$35,680
- Twin Falls$35,660
- Pocatello$34,530
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 Boise: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Boise?
$18.32 an hour on average, and $17.90 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Boise?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,070, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Boise?
About $31,890 a year ($2,657 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $38,110. Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Boise than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Boise City, ID (14260). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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). Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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