Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Grand Rapids
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,110 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,290 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Grand Rapids earn between $35,790 and $39,340.
- $30K10th
- $36K25th
- $37KMedian
- $39K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,920 | $3,160 | $18.23 |
| Median | $37,360 | $3,113 | $17.96 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,790 | $2,982 | $17.21 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $39,340 | $3,278 | $18.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Grand Rapids vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Grand Rapids earn about the same as the Michigan average ($37,570) and about the same as the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -0% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | $37,920 | $37,360 | $30,110 | $45,290 | 4,850 |
| Michigan | $37,570 | $36,980 | $29,570 | $46,030 | 39,100 |
| 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 Grand Rapids
On the average salary of $37,920, a single filer in Grand Rapids takes home about $30,802 a year, or $2,567 a month and $1,185 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
Is Grand Rapids a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Grand Rapids area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $37,920 buys what about $39,688 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Grand Rapids ($47,570). A typical home costs $359,923, or 9.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Michigan cities
Grand Rapids ranks 4th of 15 Michigan metro areas for this job; Ann Arbor pays the most ($39,380).
- Ann Arbor$39,380
- Detroit$38,640
- Traverse City$38,160
- Grand Rapids$37,920
- Battle Creek$37,650
- Kalamazoo$37,230
- Lansing$37,030
- Niles$36,720
- Jackson$36,700
- Midland$36,200
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 Grand Rapids: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Grand Rapids?
$18.23 an hour on average, and $17.96 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Grand Rapids?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,110 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Grand Rapids?
About $30,802 a year ($2,567 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,920. Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Grand Rapids than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI (24340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules). Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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