Cooks, Short Order pay range in La Crosse
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,800 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in La Crosse earn between $27,260 and $35,870.
- $23K10th
- $27K25th
- $29KMedian
- $36K75th
- $39K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $31,510 | $2,626 | $15.15 |
| Median | $28,700 | $2,392 | $13.80 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,260 | $2,272 | $13.11 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,870 | $2,989 | $17.25 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in La Crosse vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in La Crosse earn 5% more than the Wisconsin average ($30,050) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -20% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse | $31,510 | $28,700 | $22,600 | $38,800 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $30,050 | $28,130 | $22,550 | $39,080 | 2,270 |
| 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 La Crosse
On the average salary of $31,510, a single filer in La Crosse takes home about $26,833 a year, or $2,236 a month and $1,032 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
The La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WI | $26,833 | $2,236 |
| Working in MN | $26,631 | $2,219 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is La Crosse a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the La Crosse area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.8), so the average $31,510 buys what about $34,336 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in La Crosse ($48,260). A typical home costs $335,330, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other Wisconsin cities
La Crosse ranks 1st of 7 Wisconsin 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 La Crosse: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in La Crosse?
$15.15 an hour on average, and $13.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in La Crosse?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,260, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in La Crosse?
About $26,833 a year ($2,236 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $31,510.
Do cooks, short order earn more in La Crosse than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN (29100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.3%.
- 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 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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