Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Knoxville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,860 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,220 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Knoxville earn between $30,630 and $38,560.
- $28K10th
- $31K25th
- $37KMedian
- $39K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,930 | $2,994 | $17.27 |
| Median | $36,520 | $3,043 | $17.56 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,630 | $2,552 | $14.73 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,560 | $3,213 | $18.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Knoxville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Knoxville earn about the same as the Tennessee average ($36,530) and 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $35,930 | $36,520 | $27,860 | $45,220 | 3,820 |
| 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 Knoxville
On the average salary of $35,930, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $31,050 a year, or $2,587 a month and $1,194 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Knoxville a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $35,930 buys what about $38,814 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 10.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Tennessee cities
Knoxville ranks 2nd 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 Knoxville: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Knoxville?
$17.28 an hour on average, and $17.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Knoxville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,860 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Knoxville?
About $31,050 a year ($2,587 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,930. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Knoxville than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Knoxville, TN (28940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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