Restaurant cook pay in State College, PA at a glance
Median salary
$35,990$17.30 per hour · $2,999 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Restaurant cook salary in State College, PA after taxes
Restaurant cooks pay range in State College, PA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the State College, PA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (PA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $11.47/hr | $1,988 | $23,860 | $20,526 |
| 25th percentile | $14.58/hr | $2,528 | $30,330 | $25,619 |
| MedianMedian | $17.30/hr | $2,999 | $35,990 | $29,993 |
| 75th percentile | $18.46/hr | $3,200 | $38,400 | $31,856 |
| 90th percentile | $21.40/hr | $3,709 | $44,510 | $36,577 |
Is $35,990 a good salary in State College, PA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for restaurant cooks next to both.
Restaurant cooks pay in Pennsylvania and across the U.S.
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.
Restaurant cook pay in State College, PA: common questions
What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in State College, PA?
The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the State College, PA metro area was $35,990 in May 2025, about $2,999 a month or $17.30 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $36,580, so the metro pays 2% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in State College, PA?
The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in State College, PA was $17.30 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.47 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.40.
How many restaurant cooks work in State College, PA?
BLS estimated 730 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 10.6 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 State College, PA?
BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in State College, PA run from $23,860 at the 10th percentile to $30,330 at the 25th, $38,400 at the 75th, and $44,510 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in State College, PA?
On a median gross salary of $35,990, an estimated $29,993 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,154 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,997 (an effective rate of 16.7%).
How much do restaurant cooks make per month in State College, PA?
On the median annual salary of $35,990, gross monthly income is $2,999. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,499 per month (or $1,154 every two weeks).
Is $35,990 a good salary in State College, PA?
At $35,990, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 48.4% of the State College, PA median household income ($74,291). It is 27% below the $49,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.8, so prices here run 3.2% below the U.S. average.