Cooks, Restaurant salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Cooks, Restaurant in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median of $42,920 a year ($20.64 an hour), based on BLS data for 29,670 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,310 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,650 for the top 10%. That is 15% higher than the national median of $37,390. Pay here is 7% lower than the District of Columbia statewide median of $46,130. There are 9.5 cooks, restaurant per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $42,590, close to the median.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,310 | $16.98 |
| 25th percentile | $36,790 | $17.69 |
| Median | $42,920 | $20.64 |
| 75th percentile | $46,070 | $22.15 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,650 | $23.87 |
| Average (mean) | $42,590 | $20.48 |
Half of cooks, restaurant earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,576.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,788.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,650.77 |
| Weekly | $825.38 |
| Hourly | $20.64 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $42,920 salary, see how much house you can afford in District of Columbia at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,270 | 24,220 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $37,420 | 7,760 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $37,170 | 530 |
| Richmond, VA | $37,080 | 6,160 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $36,960 | 1,370 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,280 | 8,380 |
| Salisbury, MD | $35,940 | 320 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $35,920 | 740 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $35,900 | 500 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $35,390 | 660 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $35,080 | 1,000 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $35,050 | 720 |
| Roanoke, VA | $34,920 | 1,560 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $34,600 | 1,020 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $34,330 | 800 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $30,030 | 320 |
| Morgantown, WV | $29,740 | 760 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $29,710 | 580 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $29,700 | 410 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $29,550 | 1,090 |
| Charleston, WV | $29,450 | 770 |
| Beckley, WV | $28,770 | 420 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, restaurant
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $46,800 |
| District of Columbia | $46,130 |
| Massachusetts | $45,600 |
| Hawaii | $45,420 |
| Vermont | $45,390 |
| Maine | $45,290 |
| California | $44,880 |
| New York | $43,680 |
| Oregon | $43,100 |
| Colorado | $41,600 |
See Cooks, Restaurant pay in every state or the District of Columbia statewide figures.
Related jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Food Preparation Worker | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $35,800 | $17.21 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $44,880 | $21.58 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $39,650 | $19.06 |
| Cooks, All Other | $31,880 | $15.33 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,600 | $16.64 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $46,040 | $22.14 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $47,580 | $22.87 |
| Bartender | $48,030 | $23.09 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $37,260 | $17.91 |
| Dishwasher | $37,010 | $17.79 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $36,360 | $17.48 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $37,540 | $18.05 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $74,900 | $36.01 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2014. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median salary for cooks, restaurant in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $42,920 a year, or $20.64 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,310 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,650 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, restaurant make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The top 10% of cooks, restaurant in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn at least $49,650 a year. The top 25% earn $46,070 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, restaurant in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,310 a year, and a quarter of cooks, restaurant earn $36,790 or less.
How many cooks, restaurant work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
About 29,670 cooks, restaurant are employed in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, not counting the self-employed.