Cooks, Restaurant pay in Virginia
In Virginia, the median pay for cooks, restaurant is $17.67 an hour ($36,750 a year). About 40,310 people work in this job there.
That is 2% lower than the U.S. median ($37,390). Virginia ranks 27th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Virginia
| Earns more than | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% of workers | $14.11 | $29,340 |
| 25% of workers | $16.00 | $33,270 |
| Half of workers (median) | $17.67 | $36,750 |
| 75% of workers | $20.67 | $42,990 |
| 90% of workers | $21.99 | $45,740 |
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Virginia metro areas
| Metro area | Median yearly pay | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $37,080 | 6,160 |
| Charlottesville | $36,960 | 1,370 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $36,280 | 8,380 |
| Harrisonburg | $35,920 | 740 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $35,900 | 500 |
| Winchester | $35,390 | 660 |
| Lynchburg | $35,080 | 1,000 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $35,050 | 720 |
| Roanoke | $34,920 | 1,560 |
Virginia unemployment rate: 3.6% (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 Virginia
| Job | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Food Preparation Workers | $34,900 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $29,950 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,890 |
| Bakers | $34,430 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $63,270 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $31,200 |
| Food Batchmakers | $41,080 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,770 |
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.