How much does a cook make in Philadelphia?
$38,850a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. That is $18.68 an hour or $3,238 a month.
- Hourly
- $18.68
- Vs. national median
- +3%
- Rank among cities
- 29 of 63
- Jobs in the area
- 280
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $31,200Median: $38,850Highest 10%: $55,460
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,200 | $15.00 | |
| 25th | $35,620 | $17.13 | |
| Median | $38,850 | $18.68 | |
| 75th | $45,940 | $22.09 | |
| 90th | $55,460 | $26.66 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| Harrisburg, PA | $32,910 |
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 | $38,270 |
| 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 |
| Dishwasher | $33,270 |
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 $18.68 ($38,850 a year).
Do cooks make more in Philadelphia than the national average?
Yes: $38,850 against $37,690 nationally, 3% more.
How does Philadelphia compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
The median in Pennsylvania is $36,220, so Philadelphia pays 7% more.
Where does Philadelphia rank for cook pay?
29 of 63 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% make $31,200 or less a year; the top 10% make $55,460 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.