Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Louisville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,880 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,480 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Louisville earn between $30,210 and $37,840.
- $28K10th
- $30K25th
- $36KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,360 | $2,947 | $17.00 |
| Median | $35,950 | $2,996 | $17.28 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,210 | $2,518 | $14.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,840 | $3,153 | $18.19 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Louisville vs. Kentucky and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Louisville earn 5% more than the Kentucky average ($33,700) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $35,360 | $35,950 | $27,880 | $44,480 | 5,390 |
| Kentucky | $33,700 | $34,640 | $24,750 | $43,750 | 13,510 |
| 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 Louisville
On the average salary of $35,360, a single filer in Louisville takes home about $28,694 a year, or $2,391 a month and $1,104 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $29,561 | $2,463 |
| Working in KY | $28,694 | $2,391 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Louisville's local income tax (2.2%).
Is Louisville a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Louisville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.1), so the average $35,360 buys what about $37,991 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Louisville ($48,370). A typical home costs $283,232, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Kentucky cities
Louisville ranks 1st of 6 Kentucky metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Louisville$35,360
- Lexington$34,740
- Bowling Green$32,510
- Paducah$32,510
- Owensboro$32,240
- Elizabethtown$31,580
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 Louisville: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Louisville?
$17.00 an hour on average, and $17.28 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Louisville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,880 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,210, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Louisville?
About $28,694 a year ($2,391 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,360. Includes Louisville's local income tax (2.2%).
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Louisville than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (31140). 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). Includes Louisville's local income tax (2.2%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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