SOC 35-2014 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Restaurant — St. Louis
St. Louis, MO-IL · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in St.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in St. Louis, MO is $37,690 per year, close to the national median of $37,390 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $29,690 at the tenth percentile to more than $47,230 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,320 to $45,050.
Employment stands at 12,970, or 9.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Kansas City leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,370. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 587th of 652 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,690 | −20.6% |
| 25th | $35,320 | −5.5% |
| Median (50th) | $37,690 | +0.8% |
| 75th | $45,050 | +20.5% |
| 90th | $47,230 | +26.3% |
| Mean | $40,500 | +8.3% |
Other metro areas in Missouri
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $37,370 | 9,940 | |
| 2 | St. Joseph | $35,560 | 320 | |
| 3 | Columbia | $35,240 | 990 | |
| 4 | Springfield | $35,100 | 1,910 | |
| 5 | Cape Girardeau | $34,870 | 380 | |
| 6 | Jefferson City | $34,670 | 460 | |
| 7 | Joplin | $33,930 | 700 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in St. Louis run 9.2% below the national average, so the median of $37,690 goes as far as $41,509 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 11.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$37,690as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$41,509US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,690 a year, 0.8% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $29,690 to $47,230 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 12,970 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Kansas City, at $37,370.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in St. Louis, MO?
The median annual wage is $37,690, or $18.12 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $37,390, so pay in St. Louis, MO is 0.8% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in St. Louis, MO earns more than $47,230 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $29,690 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Kansas City, at $37,370 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 12,970 jobs in this occupation in St. Louis, MO. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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