How much does a cook make in Houston?
$35,660a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area. That is $17.14 an hour or $2,972 a month.
- Hourly
- $17.14
- Vs. national median
- -5%
- Rank among cities
- 249 of 391
- Jobs in the area
- 4,890
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $24,750Median: $35,660Highest 10%: $45,810
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $24,750 | $11.90 | |
| 25th | $29,810 | $14.33 | |
| Median | $35,660 | $17.14 | |
| 75th | $39,460 | $18.97 | |
| 90th | $45,810 | $22.02 |
Other cities in Texas
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| Dallas, TX | $37,370 |
| College Station, TX | $36,890 |
| Austin, TX | $36,670 |
| Midland, TX | $36,470 |
| San Antonio, TX | $35,250 |
| Killeen, TX | $34,930 |
| Sherman, TX | $34,480 |
| Waco, TX | $34,410 |
| Odessa, TX | $34,330 |
| San Angelo, TX | $33,930 |
| Brownsville, TX | $32,950 |
| Amarillo, TX | $32,880 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $32,400 |
| Abilene, TX | $31,850 |
| Tyler, TX | $30,600 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $30,470 |
| Beaumont, TX | $29,990 |
| Lubbock, TX | $29,700 |
| McAllen, TX | $29,300 |
| Longview, TX | $29,220 |
| Victoria, TX | $28,860 |
| El Paso, TX | $28,110 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | $27,710 |
| Texarkana, TX | $27,620 |
| Laredo, TX | $27,570 |
Related jobs in Houston
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $45,400 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $36,410 |
| Cook | $35,050 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,020 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $31,200 |
| Food Server | $29,050 |
| Dishwasher | $28,600 |
| Cook | $27,900 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $27,570 |
| Host and Hostess | $26,730 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour in Houston?
The median hourly pay in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $17.14 ($35,660 a year).
Do cooks make more in Houston than the national average?
No: $35,660 against $37,450 nationally, 5% less.
How does Houston compare with the rest of Texas?
The median in Texas is $35,360, so Houston pays 1% more.
Where does Houston rank for cook pay?
249 of 391 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% make $24,750 or less a year; the top 10% make $45,810 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.