How much does a cook make in Houston?
$25,720a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area. That is $12.37 an hour or $2,143 a month.
- Hourly
- $12.37
- Vs. national median
- -28%
- Rank among cities
- 204 of 237
- Jobs in the area
- 1,500
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $23,440Median: $25,720Highest 10%: $36,320
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $23,440 | $11.27 | |
| 25th | $23,570 | $11.33 | |
| Median | $25,720 | $12.37 | |
| 75th | $29,030 | $13.96 | |
| 90th | $36,320 | $17.46 |
Other cities in Texas
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| San Antonio, TX | $33,260 |
| Austin, TX | $31,520 |
| Midland, TX | $28,390 |
| Lubbock, TX | $25,550 |
| Amarillo, TX | $25,500 |
| Dallas, TX | $25,320 |
| Odessa, TX | $24,350 |
| Tyler, TX | $22,900 |
| Longview, TX | $22,880 |
| Abilene, TX | $22,840 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $22,430 |
| El Paso, TX | $21,610 |
| Laredo, TX | $21,490 |
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 |
| 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 |
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 $12.37 ($25,720 a year).
Do cooks make more in Houston than the national average?
No: $25,720 against $35,880 nationally, 28% less.
How does Houston compare with the rest of Texas?
The median in Texas is $25,320, so Houston pays 2% more.
Where does Houston rank for cook pay?
204 of 237 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% make $23,440 or less a year; the top 10% make $36,320 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.