How much does a cook make in Houston?
$35,050a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area. That is $16.85 an hour or $2,921 a month.
- Hourly
- $16.85
- Vs. national median
- -6%
- Rank among cities
- 260 of 391
- Jobs in the area
- 32,710
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $24,600Median: $35,050Highest 10%: $38,370
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $24,600 | $11.83 | |
| 25th | $28,290 | $13.60 | |
| Median | $35,050 | $16.85 | |
| 75th | $37,090 | $17.83 | |
| 90th | $38,370 | $18.45 |
Other cities in Texas
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| Austin, TX | $36,810 |
| Dallas, TX | $36,490 |
| Midland, TX | $35,670 |
| Odessa, TX | $34,900 |
| San Antonio, TX | $34,860 |
| College Station, TX | $32,630 |
| Sherman, TX | $31,760 |
| Waco, TX | $31,500 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $30,670 |
| Amarillo, TX | $30,560 |
| Beaumont, TX | $30,520 |
| Killeen, TX | $30,510 |
| Tyler, TX | $30,300 |
| Lubbock, TX | $30,250 |
| Abilene, TX | $30,180 |
| Longview, TX | $29,930 |
| San Angelo, TX | $29,800 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $29,790 |
| Victoria, TX | $29,680 |
| Texarkana, TX | $29,490 |
| El Paso, TX | $28,990 |
| Brownsville, TX | $28,670 |
| McAllen, TX | $28,380 |
| Laredo, TX | $28,120 |
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 | $35,660 |
| 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 $16.85 ($35,050 a year).
Do cooks make more in Houston than the national average?
No: $35,050 against $37,390 nationally, 6% less.
How does Houston compare with the rest of Texas?
The median in Texas is $34,760, so Houston pays 1% more.
Where does Houston rank for cook pay?
260 of 391 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% make $24,600 or less a year; the top 10% make $38,370 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.