Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT?

In the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $43,400 a year ($20.87 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,970 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $61,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,390 and $50,240; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Connecticut tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,560 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT at a glance

Median salary

$43,400$20.87 per hour · $3,617 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,390$17.50/hr
25th percentile$37,600$18.08/hr
75th percentile$47,190$22.69/hr
90th percentile$50,240$24.16/hr
Jobs in this metro3,970Location quotient 1.08 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $61,470
Against Connecticut10% aboveStatewide median $39,480
Against the U.S.16% aboveNational median $37,390

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Restaurant cook salary in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT after taxes

$43,400
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,400
Net 82%
Fed 7%
CT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,560After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,963Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,368Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,028 / yr
Connecticut state income tax$1,492 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,320 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What restaurant cooks earned in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CT)
10th percentile$17.50/hr$3,033$36,390$30,495
25th percentile$18.08/hr$3,133$37,600$31,377
MedianMedian$20.87/hr$3,617$43,400$35,560
75th percentile$22.69/hr$3,933$47,190$38,411
90th percentile$24.16/hr$4,187$50,240$40,736

Is $43,400 a good salary in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for restaurant cooks next to both.

Median household income$114,565Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)106.96.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.9%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Do restaurant cooks pay tax on tips?

Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.

See what the tips deduction saves you →

Restaurant cook pay in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro area was $43,400 in May 2025, about $3,617 a month or $20.87 an hour. Statewide, the Connecticut median for this job is $39,480, so the metro pays 10% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT was $20.87 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.16.

How many restaurant cooks work in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

BLS estimated 3,970 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 9.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.08 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT run from $36,390 at the 10th percentile to $37,600 at the 25th, $47,190 at the 75th, and $50,240 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

On a median gross salary of $43,400, an estimated $35,560 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,368 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Connecticut in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,840 (an effective rate of 18.1%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

On the median annual salary of $43,400, gross monthly income is $3,617. After federal, FICA, and Connecticut state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,963 per month (or $1,368 every two weeks).

Is $43,400 a good salary in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?

At $43,400, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 37.9% of the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT median household income ($114,565). It is 29% below the $61,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 106.9, so prices here run 6.9% above the U.S. average.