How Much Does a Line Cook Make in the United States?
Using our salary data collection methodology, we determined the average Line Cook salary in the U.S. to be $33,829 per year or $16.26 per hour.
How Much Does a Line Cook Make Monthly?
On average, Line Cooks in the U.S. make $2,826.15 a month.
How Much Does a Line Cook Make Weekly?
The average weekly pay for Line Cooks stands at $650. They make around 52.9% less than the median weekly earnings of all wage and salary workers in the U.S.
Factors Influencing Line Cook Salary
Three major factors that influence a Line Cook’s salary are experience level, establishment type and location.
Experience level
Senior-level Line Cooks with 10 years of experience or more can earn $40,000–$44,000. They may sometimes earn even more, depending on the other two factors (establishment and location) that we’ll be discussing after this.
At the same time, an entry-level Line Cook can earn between $24,000 and $27,000.
These are Line Cooks who currently only have zero to one year of experience.
[Calculated using Zippia and Salary.com data]
This chart is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the chart to see detailed data.
Establishment type
Upscale, fine dining restaurants typically pay their Line Cooks more due to the higher profit margins. On the flip side, in most cases, fast-food establishments offer salaries within the minimum wage range or slightly above.
Here is a general overview of salaries across different types of establishments:
Note: The following salary ranges are just rough estimates and are not based on any specific data sources.
- Fine dining restaurants: $25,000 – $40,000
- Casual dining restaurants: $20,000 – $30,000
- Hotel restaurants and resorts: $25,000 – $35,000
- Fast food restaurants: $15,000 – $22,000
Geographic location
Location can also be a major influencing factor on a Line Cook’s salary. For instance, if you were a Line Cook in Washington state you would be earning $47,368 on average.
Doing the same job in Mississippi would give a comparatively lower salary of around $30,061.
It is important to note that these significant differences in Line Cook salaries across states are mainly due to varying costs of living.
Housing alone would cost you 29.7% more in Washington than it would in Mississippi.
Interact with our map below to get insights into Line Cook salaries across the U.S.
[Calculated using Indeed, Salary.com, ZipRecruiter and Talent.com data]
This map is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the map to see detailed data.
Line Cook Salary Across Four Major US Cities
Out of the four cities – New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago – NYC offers the highest average salary for Line Cooks ($48,007).
At the same time, Chicago is the lowest-paying out of the four cities, with an average Line Cook salary of $39,089.
Still, living in Chicago is around 36% cheaper than living in NYC.
Explore our table below for more information on Line Cook salaries, employment and projected growth.
Annual mean wage
$41,643
# of employees
34,230
Projected growth
36,323
Annual mean wage
$48,007
# of employees
57,010
Projected growth
60,606
Annual mean wage
$39,089
# of employees
41,360
Projected growth
43,849
Annual mean wage
$46,082
# of employees
48,050
Projected growth
50,923
[Calculated using Indeed, Salary.com, Glassdoor and Talent.com data]
Highest- and Lowest-Paying Areas for Line Cooks
As mentioned, Washington ($47,368) is the highest-paying area for U.S.-based Line Cooks, followed by the District of Columbia ($46,655), Massachusetts ($45,094) and Maine ($44,168).
On the lowest-paying end stands Mississippi as the state with the lowest Line Cook salary ($30,061), followed by West Virginia ($32,661), Arkansas ($33,131) and Louisiana ($33,768).
| State | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $47,368 |
| District of Columbia | $46,655 |
| Massachusetts | $45,094 |
| Maine | $44,168 |
| New York | $44,011 |
| Vermont | $44,005 |
| California | $43,870 |
| Colorado | $42,381 |
| New Hampshire | $42,378 |
| Hawaii | $42,322 |
| Rhode Island | $42,086 |
| Oregon | $41,736 |
| Connecticut | $41,585 |
| New Jersey | $41,292 |
| Minnesota | $40,590 |
| Arizona | $40,150 |
| Alaska | $39,974 |
| Idaho | $39,830 |
| Wisconsin | $39,799 |
| Montana | $39,549 |
| Illinois | $39,491 |
| Nevada | $39,339 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,279 |
| Delaware | $39,227 |
| South Dakota | $39,106 |
| North Dakota | $38,628 |
| Tennessee | $38,490 |
| Wyoming | $37,944 |
| Maryland | $37,848 |
| Utah | $37,791 |
| Ohio | $37,747 |
| Missouri | $37,652 |
| Texas | $37,613 |
| Nebraska | $37,487 |
| Michigan | $37,181 |
| Indiana | $37,012 |
| Virginia | $36,953 |
| New Mexico | $36,827 |
| Iowa | $36,824 |
| South Carolina | $36,625 |
| North Carolina | $36,357 |
| Florida | $36,227 |
| Kansas | $35,810 |
| Georgia | $35,702 |
| Kentucky | $35,686 |
| Oklahoma | $34,183 |
| Alabama | $34,061 |
| Louisiana | $33,786 |
| Arkansas | $33,131 |
| West Virginia | $32,661 |
| Mississippi | $30,061 |
How To Negotiate Your Line Cook Salary
67% of people who tried to negotiate their salary received around 19% higher compensation than what was initially offered to them.
Here are three tips you can use for effective Line Cook salary negotiations:
- Highlight your value: Underline a specific set of skills, such as knife skills, unique plating techniques and menu planning, to demonstrate to your potential employer why you deserve to be paid more.
- Research industry trends: Look for the average Line Cook salary in your area to understand the market rates better and propose a salary that is within the realistic range.
- Prepare a specific number: Come up with a specific number that aligns with your skills and the market rates but be ready to compromise. For instance, if you don’t get offered the desired salary, you can try negotiating a more comprehensive benefits package.
Estimate Your Line Cook Take-Home Pay
Our Paycheck Calculator below will help you estimate your take-home pay after tax deductions. Try it out by following these four simple steps:
- Step 1: Input your earnings before tax deductions
- Step 2: Select the pay frequency applicable to your job
- Step 3: Choose the state where you work
- Step 4: Click the Calculate Tax button to get your take-home pay estimate
Total Tax
Net pay
Disclaimer: Please note that this paycheck calculator is designed to provide an estimate and should not be considered as professional tax advice. The actual withholding amounts and taxes owed may vary depending on individual circumstances and other factors. For accurate and personalized tax advice, we recommend consulting with a tax professional.
Line Cook Salary FAQs
On average, a single person needs around $1,165 per month to cover all costs of living, not including rent. As we mentioned, a Line Cook makes around $2,826 per month on average.
So, it is possible to make a living working as a Line Cook in the U.S., but it all depends on how high your rent expenses are and what area you live and work in.
Line Cooks typically do not receive tips as they do not interact with the customers directly like Bartenders and Servers.
Still, there can be instances where the front-of-the-house staff shares a tip pool with the back-of-the-house personnel.
Yes. According to U.S. labor laws, Line Cooks are entitled to overtime pay for any time worked beyond 40 hours per week.
