Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Grand Forks
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,380 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,840 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Grand Forks earn between $32,240 and $38,330.
- $28K10th
- $32K25th
- $37KMedian
- $38K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,580 | $3,048 | $17.59 |
| Median | $36,800 | $3,067 | $17.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $32,240 | $2,687 | $15.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,330 | $3,194 | $18.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Grand Forks vs. North Dakota and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Grand Forks earn about the same as the North Dakota average ($36,690) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks | $36,580 | $36,800 | $28,380 | $44,840 | 560 |
| North Dakota | $36,690 | $36,470 | $28,850 | $45,650 | 4,490 |
| 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 Forks
On the average salary of $36,580, a single filer in Grand Forks takes home about $31,572 a year, or $2,631 a month and $1,214 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
The Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in ND | $31,572 | $2,631 |
| Working in MN | $30,434 | $2,536 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Grand Forks a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Grand Forks area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.7), so the average $36,580 buys what about $42,209 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Grand Forks ($49,760). A typical home costs $275,955, or 7.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other North Dakota cities
Grand Forks ranks 3rd of 4 North Dakota metro areas for this job; Fargo pays the most ($37,490).
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 Forks: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Grand Forks?
$17.59 an hour on average, and $17.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Grand Forks?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,380 a year and the 25th percentile is $32,240, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Grand Forks?
About $31,572 a year ($2,631 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,580.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Grand Forks than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Grand Forks, ND-MN (24220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 1.20, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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