Cooks, Restaurant salary in Texas
Cooks, Restaurant in Texas earn a median of $34,760 a year ($16.71 an hour), based on BLS data for 126,620 workers.
Pay ranges from $23,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,810 for the top 10%. That is 7% lower than the national median of $37,390. Texas ranks 44th of 51 states for cooks, restaurant pay. There are 9.0 cooks, restaurant per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $33,370, close to the median.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Texas
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,330 | $11.21 |
| 25th percentile | $28,540 | $13.72 |
| Median | $34,760 | $16.71 |
| 75th percentile | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,810 | $20.58 |
| Average (mean) | $33,370 | $16.04 |
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 | $2,896.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,448.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,336.92 |
| Weekly | $668.46 |
| Hourly | $16.71 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in cities in Texas
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $36,810 | 13,000 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $36,490 | 34,430 |
| Midland, TX | $35,670 | 900 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $35,050 | 32,710 |
| Odessa, TX | $34,900 | 840 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $34,860 | 10,860 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $32,630 | 1,410 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $31,760 | 510 |
| Waco, TX | $31,500 | 1,140 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $30,670 | 2,130 |
| Amarillo, TX | $30,560 | 1,300 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $30,520 | 1,480 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $30,510 | 1,340 |
| Tyler, TX | $30,300 | 1,050 |
| Lubbock, TX | $30,250 | 1,700 |
| Abilene, TX | $30,180 | 730 |
| Longview, TX | $29,930 | 920 |
| San Angelo, TX | $29,800 | 510 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $29,790 | 520 |
| Victoria, TX | $29,680 | 340 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $29,490 | 640 |
| El Paso, TX | $28,990 | 3,550 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $28,670 | 1,510 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $28,380 | 2,590 |
| Laredo, TX | $28,120 | 1,060 |
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 |
Related jobs in Texas
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,650 | $14.74 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,280 | $13.60 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $25,320 | $12.18 |
| Cooks, All Other | $32,150 | $15.46 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,740 | $13.34 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $23,240 | $11.18 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $21,550 | $10.36 |
| Bartender | $22,690 | $10.91 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| Dishwasher | $29,610 | $14.23 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $29,300 | $14.09 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $56,080 | $26.96 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Texas
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 Texas?
The median salary for cooks, restaurant in Texas is $34,760 a year, or $16.71 an hour. Pay ranges from $23,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,810 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, restaurant make in Texas?
The top 10% of cooks, restaurant in Texas earn at least $42,810 a year. The top 25% earn $37,030 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, restaurant in Texas?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $23,330 a year, and a quarter of cooks, restaurant earn $28,540 or less.
How many cooks, restaurant work in Texas?
About 126,620 cooks, restaurant are employed in Texas, not counting the self-employed.