Cooks, Restaurant Salary Trend (2011–2024)
Historical salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Median Salary in 2024
$36,830
↑ 66.8% since 2011
Median Salary Over Time
Cooks, Restaurant — Median Annual Salary
Employment Over Time
Cooks, Restaurant — Total Employment
Key Insights
📈Salaries grew 66.8% since 2011 ($22,080 → $36,830)
🏆Peak year: 2024 at $36,830
🦠COVID impact: Salary rose 3.6% from 2019 to 2020, likely reflecting workforce composition changes.
💰After inflation (~3%/yr), real growth is approximately +14%
Year-by-Year Salary Data
| Year | Median Salary | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $36,830 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $35,780 | +4.9% |
| 2022 | $34,110 | +13.7% |
| 2021 | $30,010 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | $28,800 | +3.6% |
| 2019 | $27,790 | +4.7% |
| 2018 | $26,530 | +5.4% |
| 2017 | $25,180 | +4.3% |
| 2016 | $24,140 | +4.5% |
| 2015 | $23,100 | +2.7% |
| 2014 | $22,490 | +1.5% |
| 2013 | $22,160 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | $22,030 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | $22,080 | — |
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2011–2024. All figures are annual median wages in nominal dollars.