Fairbanks-College, AK metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Fairbanks-College, AK?

In the Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $40,150 a year ($19.30 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 280 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $61,810 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,240 and $44,780; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alaska tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $34,441 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Fairbanks-College, AK at a glance

Median salary

$40,150$19.30 per hour · $3,346 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,240$17.42/hr
25th percentile$36,900$17.74/hr
75th percentile$44,060$21.18/hr
90th percentile$44,780$21.53/hr
Jobs in this metro280Location quotient 0.84 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $61,810
Against Alaskaabout the same asStatewide median $40,140
Against the U.S.7% 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 Fairbanks-College, AK after taxes

$40,150
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$40,150
Net 86%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$34,441After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,870Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,325Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,638 / yr
Alaska state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,071 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Fairbanks-College, AK, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What restaurant cooks earned in the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AK)
10th percentile$17.42/hr$3,020$36,240$31,299
25th percentile$17.74/hr$3,075$36,900$31,829
MedianMedian$19.30/hr$3,346$40,150$34,441
75th percentile$21.18/hr$3,672$44,060$37,582
90th percentile$21.53/hr$3,732$44,780$38,161

Is $40,150 a good salary in Fairbanks-College, AK?

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$88,267Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.23.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.5%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 Fairbanks-College, AK: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Fairbanks-College, AK?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area was $40,150 in May 2025, about $3,346 a month or $19.30 an hour. Statewide, the Alaska median for this job is $40,140, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Fairbanks-College, AK?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Fairbanks-College, AK was $19.30 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.42 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.53.

How many restaurant cooks work in Fairbanks-College, AK?

BLS estimated 280 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 7.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.84 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Fairbanks-College, AK?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Fairbanks-College, AK run from $36,240 at the 10th percentile to $36,900 at the 25th, $44,060 at the 75th, and $44,780 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Fairbanks-College, AK?

On a median gross salary of $40,150, an estimated $34,441 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,325 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alaska in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,709 (an effective rate of 14.2%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Fairbanks-College, AK?

On the median annual salary of $40,150, gross monthly income is $3,346. After federal, FICA, and Alaska state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,870 per month (or $1,325 every two weeks).

Is $40,150 a good salary in Fairbanks-College, AK?

At $40,150, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 45.5% of the Fairbanks-College, AK median household income ($88,267). It is 35% below the $61,810 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.2, so prices here run 3.2% above the U.S. average.