Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,410 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Chattanooga earn between $29,750 and $37,710.
- $27K10th
- $30K25th
- $36KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,200 | $2,933 | $16.92 |
| Median | $36,010 | $3,001 | $17.31 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,750 | $2,479 | $14.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,710 | $3,142 | $18.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Chattanooga vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Chattanooga earn 4% less than the Tennessee average ($36,530) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $35,200 | $36,010 | $27,250 | $44,410 | 2,490 |
| Tennessee | $36,530 | $36,420 | $27,910 | $45,650 | 28,220 |
| 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 Chattanooga
On the average salary of $35,200, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $30,463 a year, or $2,539 a month and $1,172 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $30,463 | $2,539 |
| Working in GA | $29,455 | $2,455 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $35,200 buys what about $38,485 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 9.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 4th of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($39,040).
- Nashville$39,040
- Knoxville$35,930
- Memphis$35,500
- Chattanooga$35,200
- Morristown$34,870
- Jackson$34,580
- Cleveland$34,100
- Kingsport$33,800
- Johnson City$33,670
- Clarksville$33,520
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 Chattanooga: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Chattanooga?
$16.92 an hour on average, and $17.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,750, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $30,463 a year ($2,539 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,200. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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