How much does a cook make in Indianapolis?
$21,440a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area. That is $10.31 an hour or $1,787 a month.
- Hourly
- $10.31
- Vs. national median
- -40%
- Rank among cities
- 235 of 237
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $21,440Median: $21,440Highest 10%: $31,330
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $21,440 | $10.31 | |
| 25th | $21,440 | $10.31 | |
| Median | $21,440 | $10.31 | |
| 75th | $30,230 | $14.53 | |
| 90th | $31,330 | $15.06 |
Other cities in Indiana
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| Chicago, IL | $37,440 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $32,180 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $30,240 |
| Louisville, KY | $29,630 |
| Bloomington, IN | $29,030 |
| Elkhart, IN | $28,430 |
| Muncie, IN | $28,030 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $21,940 |
Related jobs in Indianapolis
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $49,010 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $45,590 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $38,160 |
| Cook | $36,610 |
| Cook | $36,350 |
| Food Server | $31,960 |
| Dishwasher | $30,520 |
| Cook | $30,500 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,490 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $29,050 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour in Indianapolis?
The median hourly pay in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area is $10.31 ($21,440 a year).
Do cooks make more in Indianapolis than the national average?
No: $21,440 against $35,880 nationally, 40% less.
How does Indianapolis compare with the rest of Indiana?
The median in Indiana is $21,940, so Indianapolis pays 2% less.
Where does Indianapolis rank for cook pay?
235 of 237 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Indianapolis?
The lowest-paid 10% make $21,440 or less a year; the top 10% make $31,330 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.