Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Baton Rouge
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,410 a year or less, while the top 10% make $42,290 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Baton Rouge earn between $27,240 and $36,430.
- $22K10th
- $27K25th
- $30KMedian
- $36K75th
- $42K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $31,590 | $2,632 | $15.19 |
| Median | $29,910 | $2,492 | $14.38 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,240 | $2,270 | $13.10 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,430 | $3,036 | $17.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Baton Rouge vs. Louisiana and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Baton Rouge earn 3% more than the Louisiana average ($30,630) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -20% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $31,590 | $29,910 | $22,410 | $42,290 | 2,420 |
| Louisiana | $30,630 | $29,050 | $21,970 | $39,540 | 14,910 |
| 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 Baton Rouge
On the average salary of $31,590, a single filer in Baton Rouge takes home about $27,001 a year, or $2,250 a month and $1,039 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Baton Rouge a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Baton Rouge area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.8), so the average $31,590 buys what about $34,798 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Baton Rouge ($48,710). A typical home costs $248,176, or 7.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Louisiana cities
Baton Rouge ranks 2nd of 10 Louisiana metro areas for this job; New Orleans pays the most ($32,990).
- New Orleans$32,990
- Baton Rouge$31,590
- Lake Charles$30,280
- Slidell$30,280
- Shreveport$29,650
- Lafayette$28,720
- Hammond$28,640
- Houma$28,530
- Alexandria$27,780
- Monroe$27,650
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 Baton Rouge: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Baton Rouge?
$15.19 an hour on average, and $14.38 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Baton Rouge?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,410 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,240, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Baton Rouge?
About $27,001 a year ($2,250 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $31,590.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Baton Rouge than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% 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 Baton Rouge, LA (12940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.9%.
- 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 0.65, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.65).
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