Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Indianapolis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,910 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,300 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Indianapolis earn between $30,390 and $38,100.
- $27K10th
- $30K25th
- $37KMedian
- $38K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,550 | $2,962 | $17.09 |
| Median | $36,610 | $3,051 | $17.60 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,390 | $2,532 | $14.61 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,100 | $3,175 | $18.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Indianapolis vs. Indiana and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Indianapolis earn 4% more than the Indiana average ($34,150) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | $35,550 | $36,610 | $26,910 | $45,300 | 9,180 |
| Indiana | $34,150 | $35,170 | $26,000 | $44,190 | 26,960 |
| 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 Indianapolis
On the average salary of $35,550, a single filer in Indianapolis takes home about $29,010 a year, or $2,418 a month and $1,116 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). Includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%).
Is Indianapolis a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Indianapolis area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.7), so the average $35,550 buys what about $37,149 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Indianapolis ($49,340). A typical home costs $295,921, or 8.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Indiana cities
Indianapolis ranks 1st of 12 Indiana metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Indianapolis$35,550
- Kokomo$34,190
- Elkhart$34,010
- South Bend$33,740
- Bloomington$33,660
- Lafayette$33,300
- Evansville$33,210
- Fort Wayne$33,180
- Michigan City$32,800
- Columbus$32,610
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 Indianapolis: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Indianapolis?
$17.09 an hour on average, and $17.60 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Indianapolis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,910 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Indianapolis?
About $29,010 a year ($2,418 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,550. Includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%).
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN (26900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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 (2025 rules). Includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.92, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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