Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Lawrence
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,430 a year or less, while the top 10% make $42,130 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Lawrence earn between $30,610 and $36,990.
- $26K10th
- $31K25th
- $35KMedian
- $37K75th
- $42K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,560 | $2,880 | $16.62 |
| Median | $35,140 | $2,928 | $16.89 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,610 | $2,551 | $14.72 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,990 | $3,082 | $17.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Lawrence vs. Kansas and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Lawrence earn about the same as the Kansas average ($34,900) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | $34,560 | $35,140 | $26,430 | $42,130 | 690 |
| Kansas | $34,900 | $35,130 | $26,120 | $44,540 | 11,620 |
| 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 Lawrence
On the average salary of $34,560, a single filer in Lawrence takes home about $28,816 a year, or $2,401 a month and $1,108 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Lawrence a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Lawrence area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.2), so the average $34,560 buys what about $38,297 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Lawrence ($47,390). A typical home costs $340,687, or 9.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Kansas cities
Lawrence ranks 1st of 4 Kansas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 Lawrence: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Lawrence?
$16.62 an hour on average, and $16.89 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Lawrence?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,430 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,610, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Lawrence?
About $28,816 a year ($2,401 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,560.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Lawrence than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Lawrence, KS (29940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 1.47, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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