How much does a cook make in Philadelphia?
$31,360a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. That is $15.08 an hour or $2,613 a month.
- Hourly
- $15.08
- Vs. national median
- -13%
- Rank among cities
- 137 of 237
- Jobs in the area
- 1,340
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $18,700Median: $31,360Highest 10%: $42,810
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $18,700 | $8.99 | |
| 25th | $18,700 | $8.99 | |
| Median | $31,360 | $15.08 | |
| 75th | $38,920 | $18.71 | |
| 90th | $42,810 | $20.58 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| Allentown, PA | $31,940 |
| Lancaster, PA | $29,580 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $28,970 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $28,350 |
| Scranton, PA | $28,290 |
| Williamsport, PA | $25,490 |
| Erie, PA | $22,450 |
| York, PA | $22,160 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $17,150 |
Related jobs in Philadelphia
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $65,680 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $46,580 |
| Cook | $38,870 |
| Cook | $38,850 |
| Cook | $38,270 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $36,570 |
| Bartender | $36,040 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,560 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $34,190 |
| Food Server | $33,300 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour in Philadelphia?
The median hourly pay in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $15.08 ($31,360 a year).
Do cooks make more in Philadelphia than the national average?
No: $31,360 against $35,880 nationally, 13% less.
How does Philadelphia compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
The median in Pennsylvania is $19,910, so Philadelphia pays 58% more.
Where does Philadelphia rank for cook pay?
137 of 237 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% make $18,700 or less a year; the top 10% make $42,810 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.