Cooks, Short Order pay range in Topeka
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,910 a year or less, while the top 10% make $65,890 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in Topeka earn between $27,860 and $65,890.
- $25K10th
- $28K25th
- $29KMedian
- $66K75th
- $66K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,640 | $3,470 | $20.02 |
| Median | $29,180 | $2,432 | $14.03 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,860 | $2,322 | $13.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $65,890 | $5,491 | $31.68 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in Topeka vs. Kansas and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in Topeka earn 41% more than the Kansas average ($29,600) and 15% more than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | $41,640 | $29,180 | $24,910 | $65,890 | 60 |
| Kansas | $29,600 | $27,400 | $24,110 | $36,570 | 640 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,880 | $23,440 | $46,460 | 138,650 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Short Order salary after taxes in Topeka
On the average salary of $41,640, a single filer in Topeka takes home about $34,114 a year, or $2,843 a month and $1,312 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Topeka a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Topeka area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.8), so the average $41,640 buys what about $46,881 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Topeka ($49,540). A typical home costs $217,683, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other Kansas cities
Topeka ranks 1st of 3 Kansas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
Highest-paying cities for cooks, short order
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($52,560).
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,530
- Seattle, WA$49,560
- Corvallis, OR$48,580
- San Francisco, CA$46,250
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Cooks, Short Order salary in Topeka: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in Topeka?
$20.02 an hour on average, and $14.03 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in Topeka?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,910 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,860, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in Topeka?
About $34,114 a year ($2,843 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,640.
Do cooks, short order earn more in Topeka than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% more than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
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 35-2015; area Topeka, KS (45820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 17.3%.
- 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 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).
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