Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Topeka
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $41,880 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Topeka earn between $30,050 and $35,990.
- $26K10th
- $30K25th
- $34KMedian
- $36K75th
- $42K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,810 | $2,818 | $16.25 |
| Median | $34,450 | $2,871 | $16.56 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,050 | $2,504 | $14.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,990 | $2,999 | $17.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Topeka vs. Kansas and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Topeka earn 3% less than the Kansas average ($34,900) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | $33,810 | $34,450 | $26,040 | $41,880 | 770 |
| 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 Topeka
On the average salary of $33,810, a single filer in Topeka takes home about $28,252 a year, or $2,354 a month and $1,087 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).
Is Topeka a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Topeka area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.8), so the average $33,810 buys what about $38,066 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Topeka ($49,540). A typical home costs $217,683, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Kansas cities
Topeka ranks 3rd of 4 Kansas metro areas for this job; Lawrence pays the most ($34,560).
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 Topeka: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Topeka?
$16.26 an hour on average, and $16.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Topeka?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Topeka?
About $28,252 a year ($2,354 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,810.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Topeka than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Topeka, KS (45820). 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 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
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