Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Charleston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,940 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Charleston earn between $23,580 and $31,200.
- $23K10th
- $24K25th
- $29KMedian
- $31K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $29,730 | $2,478 | $14.29 |
| Median | $29,450 | $2,454 | $14.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $23,580 | $1,965 | $11.34 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Charleston vs. West Virginia and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Charleston earn 4% less than the West Virginia average ($30,950) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -21% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $29,730 | $29,450 | $22,530 | $36,940 | 770 |
| West Virginia | $30,950 | $29,590 | $22,180 | $38,010 | 6,450 |
| 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 Charleston
On the average salary of $29,730, a single filer in Charleston takes home about $25,349 a year, or $2,112 a month and $975 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Charleston a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Charleston area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.7), so the average $29,730 buys what about $33,511 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Charleston ($45,830). A typical home costs $148,817, or 5.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other West Virginia cities
Charleston ranks 5th of 7 West Virginia metro areas for this job; Weirton pays the most ($31,440).
- Weirton$31,440
- Wheeling$31,190
- Huntington$30,570
- Morgantown$30,290
- Charleston$29,730
- Beckley$29,570
- Parkersburg$29,240
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 Charleston: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Charleston?
$14.29 an hour on average, and $14.16 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Charleston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $23,580, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Charleston?
About $25,349 a year ($2,112 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $29,730.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Charleston than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 Charleston, WV (16620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.82, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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