Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Omaha
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,020 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,440 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Omaha earn between $35,110 and $43,510.
- $30K10th
- $35K25th
- $38KMedian
- $44K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $38,400 | $3,200 | $18.46 |
| Median | $37,840 | $3,153 | $18.19 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,110 | $2,926 | $16.88 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,510 | $3,626 | $20.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Omaha vs. Nebraska and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Omaha earn 3% more than the Nebraska average ($37,190) and about the same as the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $38,400 | $37,840 | $30,020 | $45,440 | 2,850 |
| 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 Omaha
On the average salary of $38,400, a single filer in Omaha takes home about $32,167 a year, or $2,681 a month and $1,237 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Omaha, NE-IA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IA | $32,187 | $2,682 |
| Working in NE | $32,167 | $2,681 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Omaha a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Omaha area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.9), so the average $38,400 buys what about $41,780 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Omaha ($49,660). A typical home costs $310,337, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Nebraska cities
Omaha ranks 1st of 3 Nebraska metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in Omaha: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Omaha?
$18.46 an hour on average, and $18.19 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Omaha?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,020 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Omaha?
About $32,167 a year ($2,681 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $38,400.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Omaha 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 Omaha, NE-IA (36540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 0.63, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.63).
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