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SOC 35-2014·Food Preparation & Serving
Cooks, Restaurant
Median wage
$41,024
10-yr outlook
+20.5%by 2032
Openings / year
12,800
Workers in NY
62,430
How pay grows with experience
Cooks, Restaurant — typical pay by experience
Annual wages statewide: starting out, typical (median), and experienced.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting out (entry) | $35,293 |
| Median (typical) | $41,024 |
| Experienced | $48,509 |
Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (NYSDOL / U.S. BLS via data.ny.gov)
Where it pays most across New York
Median pay for this occupation by region. Select a region for its full profile.
Cooks, Restaurant — median pay by region
Regional median annual wage, highest first.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| New York City | $45,085 |
| Long Island | $43,289 |
| Hudson Valley | $40,836 |
| Capital Region | $39,384 |
| Central New York | $38,920 |
| Mohawk Valley | $38,797 |
| Western New York | $38,769 |
| North Country | $38,345 |
| Southern Tier | $38,086 |
| Finger Lakes | $38,015 |
Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (NYSDOL / U.S. BLS via data.ny.gov)
A realistic next step
Higher-paying roles in the same field
These occupations are in the same broad field (Food Preparation & Serving) and pay more than a Cooks, Restaurant. It's a transparent “same field, higher pay” guide — not a skills-match score.
- Cooks, All Other$43,414 median (+$2,390)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$46,442 median (+$5,418) · +22.1% by 2032
- Waiters and Waitresses$47,783 median (+$6,759) · +12.2% by 2032
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$48,004 median (+$6,980) · +20.1% by 2032
- Bartenders$62,476 median (+$21,452) · +20.0% by 2032
- Chefs and Head Cooks$66,129 median (+$25,105) · +21.0% by 2032
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