Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Kentucky

Cooks, restaurant in Kentucky earn the most in Louisville (average $35,360 a year) and the least in Elizabethtown ($31,580), across the 6 Kentucky metro areas we cover. Statewide, BLS puts the cooks, restaurant average at $33,700 and the median at $34,640 for 13,510 workers. The U.S. average for this job is $38,730.

Cooks, Restaurant average salary by city in Kentucky

Louisville$35,360
Lexington$34,740
Bowling Green$32,510
Paducah$32,510
Owensboro$32,240
Elizabethtown$31,580

Pay, take-home pay and cost of living

City	Average	Median	25th pct.	Take-home*	Cost of living
Louisville	$35,360	$35,950	$30,210	$28,694	93
Lexington	$34,740	$35,970	$30,100	$28,040	93
Bowling Green	$32,510	$31,040	$28,700	$26,631	90
Paducah	$32,510	$31,200	$29,010	$26,631	86
Owensboro	$32,240	$30,010	$28,710	$26,500	89
Elizabethtown	$31,580	$30,120	$28,050	$25,951	91

*Average salary after federal and state taxes for a single filer; includes Louisville's local income tax (2.2%). Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.

Cooks, Restaurant salary in other states

Cooks, Restaurant salary by city and state

More about pay in Kentucky

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.
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.

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