How much does a cook make in Chicago?
$35,940a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $17.28 an hour or $2,995 a month.
- Hourly
- $17.28
- Vs. national median
- -5%
- Rank among cities
- 37 of 63
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $35,940Median: $35,940Highest 10%: $48,340
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,940 | $17.28 | |
| 25th | $35,940 | $17.28 | |
| Median | $35,940 | $17.28 | |
| 75th | $44,610 | $21.45 | |
| 90th | $48,340 | $23.24 |
Other cities in Illinois
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| No other city in the state with data. |
Related jobs in Chicago
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $60,770 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $42,650 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $39,930 |
| Cook | $38,930 |
| Cook | $38,290 |
| Cook | $37,440 |
| Dishwasher | $36,850 |
| Food Server | $35,670 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,410 |
| Cook | $35,360 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour in Chicago?
The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $17.28 ($35,940 a year).
Do cooks make more in Chicago than the national average?
No: $35,940 against $37,690 nationally, 5% less.
How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?
The median in Illinois is $35,940, so Chicago pays 0% more.
Where does Chicago rank for cook pay?
37 of 63 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% make $35,940 or less a year; the top 10% make $48,340 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.