SOC 35-2014 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Restaurant — Virginia
Virginia · 9 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Virginia is $36,750 per year, close to the national median of $37,390 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Virginia is $36,750 per year, close to the national median of $37,390 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $29,340 at the tenth percentile to more than $45,740 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $33,270 to $42,990.
The area has 40,310 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 9.8 of every thousand jobs. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Virginia ranks 27th by median wage. Richmond leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,080. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 686th of 747 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,340 | −21.5% |
| 25th | $33,270 | −11.0% |
| Median (50th) | $36,750 | −1.7% |
| 75th | $42,990 | +15.0% |
| 90th | $45,740 | +22.3% |
| Mean | $38,180 | +2.1% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | $37,080 | 6,160 | |
| 2 | Charlottesville | $36,960 | 1,370 | |
| 3 | Virginia Beach | $36,280 | 8,380 | |
| 4 | Harrisonburg | $35,920 | 740 | |
| 5 | Staunton | $35,900 | 500 | |
| 6 | Winchester | $35,390 | 660 | |
| 7 | Lynchburg | $35,080 | 1,000 | |
| 8 | Blacksburg | $35,050 | 720 | |
| 9 | Roanoke | $34,920 | 1,560 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Virginia sit close to the national average, so $36,750 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$36,750as reported by BLSLocal price level
101.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$36,350US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $36,750 a year, 1.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $29,340 to $45,740 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 40,310 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 27th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Richmond, at $37,080.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Virginia?
The median annual wage is $36,750, or $17.67 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 Virginia is 1.7% lower. 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 Virginia earns more than $45,740 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $29,340 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 Richmond, at $37,080 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 40,310 jobs in this occupation in Virginia. 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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