Cooks, Restaurant salary in Fond du Lac, WI
Cooks, Restaurant in the Fond du Lac, WI metro area earn a median of $35,720 a year ($17.18 an hour), based on BLS data for 320 workers.
Pay ranges from $24,230 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,510 for the top 10%. That is 4% lower than the national median of $37,390. Pay here is 2% lower than the Wisconsin statewide median of $36,550. There are 7.2 cooks, restaurant per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.80). The average (mean) salary is $34,480, close to the median.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Fond du Lac, WI
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $24,230 | $11.65 |
| 25th percentile | $29,900 | $14.38 |
| Median | $35,720 | $17.18 |
| 75th percentile | $37,640 | $18.10 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,510 | $21.88 |
| Average (mean) | $34,480 | $16.58 |
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 | $2,976.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,488.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,373.85 |
| Weekly | $686.92 |
| Hourly | $17.18 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $39,640 | 17,760 |
| Madison, WI | $38,440 | 3,190 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $37,180 | 7,220 |
| Green Bay, WI | $36,760 | 1,620 |
| Kenosha, WI | $36,730 | 640 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $36,680 | 1,460 |
| Appleton, WI | $36,520 | 1,060 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $36,500 | 700 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $36,260 | 860 |
| Wausau, WI | $36,180 | 530 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $35,920 | 640 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $35,800 | 600 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $35,780 | 790 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $35,360 | 450 |
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 Wisconsin statewide figures.
Related jobs in Fond du Lac, WI
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Food Preparation Worker | $31,720 | $15.25 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,200 | $17.88 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,750 | $13.82 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,180 | $13.55 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $28,980 | $13.93 |
| Bartender | $23,330 | $11.21 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $36,900 | $17.74 |
| Dishwasher | $22,080 | $10.61 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $33,640 | $16.17 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $26,250 | $12.62 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,350 | $13.15 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Fond du Lac, WI
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 Fond du Lac, WI?
The median salary for cooks, restaurant in the Fond du Lac, WI metro area is $35,720 a year, or $17.18 an hour. Pay ranges from $24,230 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,510 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, restaurant make in Fond du Lac, WI?
The top 10% of cooks, restaurant in the Fond du Lac, WI metro area earn at least $45,510 a year. The top 25% earn $37,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, restaurant in Fond du Lac, WI?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $24,230 a year, and a quarter of cooks, restaurant earn $29,900 or less.
How many cooks, restaurant work in Fond du Lac, WI?
About 320 cooks, restaurant are employed in the Fond du Lac, WI metro area, not counting the self-employed.