Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Decatur
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,090 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Decatur earn between $31,730 and $38,110.
- $31K10th
- $32K25th
- $36KMedian
- $38K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,800 | $3,067 | $17.69 |
| Median | $36,440 | $3,037 | $17.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,730 | $2,644 | $15.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,110 | $3,176 | $18.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Decatur vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Decatur earn 7% less than the Illinois average ($39,520) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $36,800 | $36,440 | $31,200 | $45,090 | 320 |
| Illinois | $39,520 | $37,580 | $31,200 | $46,460 | 53,540 |
| 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 Decatur
On the average salary of $36,800, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $30,068 a year, or $2,506 a month and $1,156 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 Decatur a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Decatur area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.4), so the average $36,800 buys what about $41,619 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($51,290). A typical home costs $126,931, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Illinois cities
Decatur ranks 4th of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job; Chicago pays the most ($40,450).
- Chicago$40,450
- Springfield$37,420
- Champaign$37,020
- Decatur$36,800
- Rockford$36,730
- Kankakee$36,430
- Peoria$36,410
- Bloomington$35,860
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 Decatur: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Decatur?
$17.69 an hour on average, and $17.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Decatur?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,730, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Decatur?
About $30,068 a year ($2,506 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,800.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Decatur, IL (19500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 0.78, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.78).
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