Lawrence, KS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Lawrence, KS?

In the Lawrence, KS metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $35,140 a year ($16.89 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 690 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $47,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,430 and $42,130; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,251 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Lawrence, KS at a glance

Median salary

$35,140$16.89 per hour · $2,928 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,430$12.71/hr
25th percentile$30,610$14.72/hr
75th percentile$36,990$17.79/hr
90th percentile$42,130$20.26/hr
Jobs in this metro690Location quotient 1.47 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $47,390
Against Kansasabout the same asStatewide median $35,130
Against the U.S.6% belowNational 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 Lawrence, KS after taxes

$35,140
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,140
Net 83%
Fed 6%
KS 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,251After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,438Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,125Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,037 / yr
Kansas state income tax$1,164 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,688 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Lawrence, KS, hourly and yearly

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

What restaurant cooks earned in the Lawrence, KS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KS)
10th percentile$12.71/hr$2,203$26,430$22,665
25th percentile$14.72/hr$2,551$30,610$25,847
MedianMedian$16.89/hr$2,928$35,140$29,251
75th percentile$17.79/hr$3,083$36,990$30,637
90th percentile$20.26/hr$3,511$42,130$34,480

Is $35,140 a good salary in Lawrence, KS?

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$69,746Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.29.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.4%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 Lawrence, KS: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Lawrence, KS?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Lawrence, KS metro area was $35,140 in May 2025, about $2,928 a month or $16.89 an hour. Statewide, the Kansas median for this job is $35,130, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Lawrence, KS?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Lawrence, KS was $16.89 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.71 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.26.

How many restaurant cooks work in Lawrence, KS?

BLS estimated 690 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 13.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.47 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Lawrence, KS?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Lawrence, KS run from $26,430 at the 10th percentile to $30,610 at the 25th, $36,990 at the 75th, and $42,130 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Lawrence, KS?

On a median gross salary of $35,140, an estimated $29,251 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,125 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,889 (an effective rate of 16.8%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Lawrence, KS?

On the median annual salary of $35,140, gross monthly income is $2,928. After federal, FICA, and Kansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,438 per month (or $1,125 every two weeks).

Is $35,140 a good salary in Lawrence, KS?

At $35,140, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 50.4% of the Lawrence, KS median household income ($69,746). It is 26% below the $47,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.2, so prices here run 9.8% below the U.S. average.