Restaurant cook pay in Chattanooga, TN at a glance
Median salary
$36,010$17.31 per hour · $3,001 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Restaurant cook salary in Chattanooga, TN after taxes
Restaurant cooks pay range in Chattanooga, TN, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (GA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.10/hr | $2,271 | $27,250 | $23,439 |
| 25th percentile | $14.30/hr | $2,479 | $29,750 | $25,348 |
| MedianMedian | $17.31/hr | $3,001 | $36,010 | $30,066 |
| 75th percentile | $18.13/hr | $3,143 | $37,710 | $31,347 |
| 90th percentile | $21.35/hr | $3,701 | $44,410 | $36,396 |
Is $36,010 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for restaurant cooks next to both.
Restaurant cooks pay in Georgia and across the U.S.
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.
Restaurant cook pay in Chattanooga, TN: common questions
What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area was $36,010 in May 2025, about $3,001 a month or $17.31 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,940, so the metro pays about the same as the state.
What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Chattanooga, TN-GA was $17.31 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.10 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.35.
How many restaurant cooks work in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
BLS estimated 2,490 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 9.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.02 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Chattanooga, TN-GA run from $27,250 at the 10th percentile to $29,750 at the 25th, $37,710 at the 75th, and $44,410 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
On a median gross salary of $36,010, an estimated $30,066 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,156 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,944 (an effective rate of 16.5%).
How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
On the median annual salary of $36,010, gross monthly income is $3,001. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,505 per month (or $1,156 every two weeks).
Is $36,010 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
At $36,010, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 49.9% of the Chattanooga, TN-GA median household income ($72,161). It is 23% below the $46,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.5, so prices here run 8.5% below the U.S. average.