Colorado Springs, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Colorado Springs, CO?

In the Colorado Springs, CO metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $38,000 a year ($18.27 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,330 of these jobs there. That is 28% below the $52,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $33,050 and $46,570; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,749 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Colorado Springs, CO at a glance

Median salary

$38,000$18.27 per hour · $3,167 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$33,050$15.89/hr
25th percentile$36,440$17.52/hr
75th percentile$43,140$20.74/hr
90th percentile$46,570$22.39/hr
Jobs in this metro3,330Location quotient 1.16 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% belowAll-jobs median $52,710
Against Colorado9% belowStatewide median $41,600
Against the U.S.2% 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 Colorado Springs, CO after taxes

$38,000
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,000
Net 84%
Fed 6%
CO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,749After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,646Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,221Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,380 / yr
Colorado state income tax$964 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,907 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Colorado Springs, CO, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Colorado Springs, CO metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What restaurant cooks earned in the Colorado Springs, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$15.89/hr$2,754$33,050$27,990
25th percentile$17.52/hr$3,037$36,440$30,565
MedianMedian$18.27/hr$3,167$38,000$31,749
75th percentile$20.74/hr$3,595$43,140$35,653
90th percentile$22.39/hr$3,881$46,570$38,258

Is $38,000 a good salary in Colorado Springs, CO?

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$90,144Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.70.7% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household42.2%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 Colorado Springs, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Colorado Springs, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Colorado Springs, CO metro area was $38,000 in May 2025, about $3,167 a month or $18.27 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $41,600, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Colorado Springs, CO?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Colorado Springs, CO was $18.27 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.89 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.39.

How many restaurant cooks work in Colorado Springs, CO?

BLS estimated 3,330 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 10.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.16 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Colorado Springs, CO?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Colorado Springs, CO run from $33,050 at the 10th percentile to $36,440 at the 25th, $43,140 at the 75th, and $46,570 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Colorado Springs, CO?

On a median gross salary of $38,000, an estimated $31,749 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,221 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,251 (an effective rate of 16.4%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Colorado Springs, CO?

On the median annual salary of $38,000, gross monthly income is $3,167. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,646 per month (or $1,221 every two weeks).

Is $38,000 a good salary in Colorado Springs, CO?

At $38,000, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 42.2% of the Colorado Springs, CO median household income ($90,144). It is 28% below the $52,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.7, so prices here run 0.7% above the U.S. average.