Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Sandusky
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,500 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Sandusky earn between $29,650 and $37,340.
- $27K10th
- $30K25th
- $35KMedian
- $37K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,430 | $2,869 | $16.55 |
| Median | $35,250 | $2,938 | $16.95 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,650 | $2,471 | $14.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,340 | $3,112 | $17.95 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Sandusky vs. Ohio and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Sandusky earn about the same as the Ohio average ($35,280) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky | $34,430 | $35,250 | $27,480 | $43,500 | 910 |
| Ohio | $35,280 | $35,540 | $27,590 | $44,940 | 46,910 |
| 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 Sandusky
On the average salary of $34,430, a single filer in Sandusky takes home about $28,916 a year, or $2,410 a month and $1,112 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). Includes Sandusky's local income tax (1.25%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Is Sandusky a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Sandusky area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $34,430 buys what about $38,564 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Sandusky ($44,970). A typical home costs $238,887, or 6.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Ohio cities
Sandusky ranks 9th of 12 Ohio metro areas for this job; Cleveland pays the most ($37,330).
- Cleveland$37,330
- Columbus$36,910
- Canton$35,620
- Akron$35,300
- Dayton$35,200
- Cincinnati$35,010
- Toledo$34,830
- Springfield$34,620
- Sandusky$34,430
- Lima$33,640
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 Sandusky: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Sandusky?
$16.56 an hour on average, and $16.95 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Sandusky?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,650, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Sandusky?
About $28,916 a year ($2,410 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,430. Includes Sandusky's local income tax (1.25%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Sandusky than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Sandusky, OH (41780). 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). Includes Sandusky's local income tax (1.25%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.99, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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