Cooks, Restaurant · SOC 35-2014
Cooks, Restaurant Salary in the Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Cooks, Restaurant in the Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $34,700 per year ($16.68 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $24,960 at the 10th percentile to $43,020 at the 90th. BLS estimates 1,080 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Cooks, Restaurant in the Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area earn more than $34,700 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $29,080 and $37,450.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $24,960 | $29,080 | $34,700 | $37,450 | $43,020 |
| Hourly | $12.00 | $13.98 | $16.68 | $18.01 | $20.68 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area$34,700 median for Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $29,080 to $37,450
- Wisconsinstate$36,550 median for Wisconsin; middle half earns $31,240 to $40,280
- United Statesnational$37,390 median for United States; middle half earns $34,010 to $44,620
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −5% vs Wisconsin overall and −7% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Wisconsin
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for cooks, restaurant, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan areathis page$34,700 median for Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $29,080 to $37,450
- $38,440 median for Madison metro area; middle half earns $34,990 to $44,530
- $37,180 median for Milwaukee metro area; middle half earns $31,840 to $42,580
- $36,760 median for Green Bay metro area; middle half earns $30,930 to $40,230
- $36,730 median for Kenosha metro area; middle half earns $31,030 to $40,760
- $36,520 median for Appleton metro area; middle half earns $30,360 to $38,750
- $36,500 median for Oshkosh metro area; middle half earns $30,510 to $38,850
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for cooks, restaurants · Highest-paying occupations in Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.