Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Hartford-West Hartford, CT?

In the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $39,150 a year ($18.82 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,900 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $59,940 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,390 and $48,900; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Connecticut tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,479 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Hartford-West Hartford, CT at a glance

Median salary

$39,150$18.82 per hour · $3,263 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,390$17.01/hr
25th percentile$37,060$17.82/hr
75th percentile$45,460$21.85/hr
90th percentile$48,900$23.51/hr
Jobs in this metro4,900Location quotient 0.90 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $59,940
Against Connecticut1% belowStatewide median $39,480
Against the U.S.5% aboveNational 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 Hartford-West Hartford, CT after taxes

$39,150
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$39,150
Net 83%
Fed 6%
CT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,479After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,707Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,249Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,518 / yr
Connecticut state income tax$1,158 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,995 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Hartford-West Hartford, CT, hourly and yearly

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

What restaurant cooks earned in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CT)
10th percentile$17.01/hr$2,949$35,390$29,772
25th percentile$17.82/hr$3,088$37,060$30,965
MedianMedian$18.82/hr$3,263$39,150$32,479
75th percentile$21.85/hr$3,788$45,460$37,091
90th percentile$23.51/hr$4,075$48,900$39,716

Is $39,150 a good salary in Hartford-West Hartford, 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$95,118Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)102.72.7% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household41.2%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 Hartford-West Hartford, CT: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area was $39,150 in May 2025, about $3,263 a month or $18.82 an hour. Statewide, the Connecticut median for this job is $39,480, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT was $18.82 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.01 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.51.

How many restaurant cooks work in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

BLS estimated 4,900 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 8.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.90 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT run from $35,390 at the 10th percentile to $37,060 at the 25th, $45,460 at the 75th, and $48,900 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

On a median gross salary of $39,150, an estimated $32,479 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,249 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Connecticut in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,671 (an effective rate of 17%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

On the median annual salary of $39,150, gross monthly income is $3,263. After federal, FICA, and Connecticut state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,707 per month (or $1,249 every two weeks).

Is $39,150 a good salary in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?

At $39,150, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 41.2% of the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT median household income ($95,118). It is 35% below the $59,940 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 102.7, so prices here run 2.7% above the U.S. average.