Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

In the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $37,240 a year ($17.91 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,330 of these jobs there. That is 20% below the $46,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,800 and $46,760; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,102 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL at a glance

Median salary

$37,240$17.91 per hour · $3,103 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,800$14.81/hr
25th percentile$36,130$17.37/hr
75th percentile$44,140$21.22/hr
90th percentile$46,760$22.48/hr
Jobs in this metro4,330Location quotient 1.57 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here20% belowAll-jobs median $46,780
Against Florida1% aboveStatewide median $37,020
Against the U.S.about the same asNational median $37,390

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

Restaurant cook salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL after taxes

$37,240
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,240
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,102After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,675Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,235Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,289 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,849 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What restaurant cooks earned in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$14.81/hr$2,567$30,800$26,928
25th percentile$17.37/hr$3,011$36,130$31,210
MedianMedian$17.91/hr$3,103$37,240$32,102
75th percentile$21.22/hr$3,678$44,140$37,646
90th percentile$22.48/hr$3,897$46,760$39,752

Is $37,240 a good salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

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$76,107Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)102.32.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.9%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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area was $37,240 in May 2025, about $3,103 a month or $17.91 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $37,020, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL was $17.91 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.48.

How many restaurant cooks work in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

BLS estimated 4,330 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 14.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.57 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL run from $30,800 at the 10th percentile to $36,130 at the 25th, $44,140 at the 75th, and $46,760 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

On a median gross salary of $37,240, an estimated $32,102 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,235 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,138 (an effective rate of 13.8%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

On the median annual salary of $37,240, gross monthly income is $3,103. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,675 per month (or $1,235 every two weeks).

Is $37,240 a good salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?

At $37,240, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 48.9% of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL median household income ($76,107). It is 20% below the $46,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 102.3, so prices here run 2.3% above the U.S. average.