Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Lincoln
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,580 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,210 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Lincoln earn between $34,990 and $42,380.
- $30K10th
- $35K25th
- $37KMedian
- $42K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,830 | $3,152 | $18.19 |
| Median | $37,290 | $3,108 | $17.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,990 | $2,916 | $16.82 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,380 | $3,532 | $20.38 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Lincoln vs. Nebraska and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Lincoln earn about the same as the Nebraska average ($37,190) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $37,830 | $37,290 | $29,580 | $44,210 | 890 |
| Nebraska | $37,190 | $37,030 | $28,680 | $44,880 | 4,750 |
| 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 Lincoln
On the average salary of $37,830, a single filer in Lincoln takes home about $31,735 a year, or $2,645 a month and $1,221 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Lincoln a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Lincoln area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.6), so the average $37,830 buys what about $41,308 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Lincoln ($49,800). A typical home costs $304,242, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Nebraska cities
Lincoln ranks 2nd of 3 Nebraska metro areas for this job; Omaha pays the most ($38,400).
- Omaha$38,400
- Lincoln$37,830
- Grand Island$36,610
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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Cooks, Restaurant salary in Lincoln: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Lincoln?
$18.19 an hour on average, and $17.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Lincoln?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,580 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,990, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Lincoln?
About $31,735 a year ($2,645 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,830.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Lincoln 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 Lincoln, NE (30700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 0.54, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.54).
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.