Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Boston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,810 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,690 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Boston earn between $39,400 and $49,390.
- $37K10th
- $39K25th
- $46KMedian
- $49K75th
- $59K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,880 | $3,823 | $22.06 |
| Median | $45,830 | $3,819 | $22.03 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,400 | $3,283 | $18.94 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,390 | $4,116 | $23.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Boston vs. Massachusetts and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Boston earn about the same as the Massachusetts average ($45,450) and 18% more than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +23% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $45,880 | $45,830 | $36,810 | $58,690 | 22,900 |
| Massachusetts | $45,450 | $45,600 | $36,540 | $58,590 | 29,570 |
| 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 Boston
On the average salary of $45,880, a single filer in Boston takes home about $37,071 a year, or $3,089 a month and $1,426 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NH | $39,045 | $3,254 |
| Working in MA | $37,071 | $3,089 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Boston a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boston area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.3), so the average $45,880 buys what about $42,377 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 16.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Massachusetts cities
Boston ranks 2nd of 6 Massachusetts metro areas for this job; Barnstable pays the most ($46,830).
- Barnstable$46,830
- Boston$45,880
- Amherst$44,060
- Worcester$43,960
- Pittsfield$43,110
- Springfield$42,540
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 Boston: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Boston?
$22.06 an hour on average, and $22.03 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Boston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,810 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,400, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Boston?
About $37,071 a year ($3,089 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,880. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Boston than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% more 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.93, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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