Cooks, Restaurant pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
In Buffalo-Cheektowaga (NY), the median pay for cooks, restaurant is $18.30 an hour ($38,060 a year). About 3,990 people work in this job there.
That is 2% higher than the U.S. median ($37,390). It is 13% lower than the New York median ($43,680).
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (NY)
| Earns more than | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% of workers | $16.78 | $34,900 |
| 25% of workers | $17.71 | $36,840 |
| Half of workers (median) | $18.30 | $38,060 |
| 75% of workers | $21.18 | $44,050 |
| 90% of workers | $22.30 | $46,390 |
Cooks, Restaurant pay in New York metro areas
| Metro area | Median yearly pay | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $44,000 | 2,200 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $43,740 | 69,250 |
| Kingston | $43,150 | 750 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $39,610 | 3,100 |
| Ithaca | $39,280 | 350 |
| Syracuse | $38,740 | 1,890 |
| Glens Falls | $38,730 | 480 |
| Rochester | $38,380 | 3,290 |
| Utica-Rome | $38,150 | 830 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga (this page) | $38,060 | 3,990 |
| Binghamton | $37,530 | 750 |
| Elmira | $36,970 | 260 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | $36,830 | 360 |
New York unemployment rate: 4.3% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Education, experience and outlook for cooks, restaurant
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 3 to 6 months (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +12.1% over ten years, much faster than average · about 218,600 openings a year (BLS)
Related jobs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (NY)
| Job | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Food Preparation Workers | $34,700 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $34,730 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $41,860 |
Other job titles for this job
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Post a job freeFind jobsCheck pay for any jobSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.