Reno, NV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Reno, NV?

In the Reno, NV metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $38,930 a year ($18.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,200 of these jobs there. That is 22% below the $49,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,640 and $47,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Nevada tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,460 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Reno, NV at a glance

Median salary

$38,930$18.72 per hour · $3,244 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,640$13.77/hr
25th percentile$36,980$17.78/hr
75th percentile$45,740$21.99/hr
90th percentile$47,370$22.77/hr
Jobs in this metro3,200Location quotient 1.28 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here22% belowAll-jobs median $49,660
Against Nevada1% aboveStatewide median $38,610
Against the U.S.4% 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 Reno, NV after taxes

$38,930
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,930
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,460After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,788Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,287Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,492 / yr
Nevada state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,978 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Reno, NV, hourly and yearly

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

What restaurant cooks earned in the Reno, NV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NV)
10th percentile$13.77/hr$2,387$28,640$25,192
25th percentile$17.78/hr$3,082$36,980$31,893
MedianMedian$18.72/hr$3,244$38,930$33,460
75th percentile$21.99/hr$3,812$45,740$38,932
90th percentile$22.77/hr$3,948$47,370$40,242

Is $38,930 a good salary in Reno, NV?

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$87,485Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)101.01% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.5%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 Reno, NV: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Reno, NV?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Reno, NV metro area was $38,930 in May 2025, about $3,244 a month or $18.72 an hour. Statewide, the Nevada median for this job is $38,610, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Reno, NV?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Reno, NV was $18.72 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.77 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.77.

How many restaurant cooks work in Reno, NV?

BLS estimated 3,200 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 11.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.28 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Reno, NV?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Reno, NV run from $28,640 at the 10th percentile to $36,980 at the 25th, $45,740 at the 75th, and $47,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Reno, NV?

On a median gross salary of $38,930, an estimated $33,460 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,287 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Nevada in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,470 (an effective rate of 14.1%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Reno, NV?

On the median annual salary of $38,930, gross monthly income is $3,244. After federal, FICA, and Nevada state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,788 per month (or $1,287 every two weeks).

Is $38,930 a good salary in Reno, NV?

At $38,930, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 44.5% of the Reno, NV median household income ($87,485). It is 22% below the $49,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 101.0, so prices here run 1% above the U.S. average.