Cooks, Short Order pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,440 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,320 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in Houston earn between $23,570 and $29,030.
- $23K10th
- $24K25th
- $26KMedian
- $29K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $27,730 | $2,311 | $13.33 |
| Median | $25,720 | $2,143 | $12.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $23,570 | $1,964 | $11.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $29,030 | $2,419 | $13.96 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in Houston vs. Texas and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in Houston earn about the same as the Texas average ($27,610) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -28% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $27,730 | $25,720 | $23,440 | $36,320 | 1,500 |
| Texas | $27,610 | $25,320 | $21,850 | $36,320 | 7,540 |
| 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 Houston
On the average salary of $27,730, a single filer in Houston takes home about $24,446 a year, or $2,037 a month and $940 every two weeks. Taxes take 12% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Houston a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $27,730 buys what about $28,115 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 11.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 6th of 15 Texas metro areas for this job; Austin pays the most ($32,440).
- Austin$32,440
- San Antonio$32,320
- Midland$30,530
- Dallas$29,170
- Odessa$28,010
- Houston$27,730
- Lubbock$26,270
- San Angelo$26,030
- Wichita Falls$25,930
- Amarillo$25,850
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 Houston: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in Houston?
$13.33 an hour on average, and $12.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,440 a year and the 25th percentile is $23,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in Houston?
About $24,446 a year ($2,037 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $27,730. Texas has no state income tax.
Do cooks, short order earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% less 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.9%.
- 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 0.51, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.51).
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