Cooks, Restaurant pay in Pennsylvania
$35,750avg. a year
$17.19 an hour · 54,100 employed
Cooks, Restaurant in Pennsylvania earn an average of $35,750 a year. That is $2,980 (8%) less than the U.S. average of $38,730. The best-paying metro area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD at $38,970.
$36,580Median pay
$17.19Average hourly
+30%Avg. pay since 2020
#35Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Pennsylvania metro areas
Average pay for cooks, restaurant by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
124,220 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$38,970
$18.73 an hour
23,200 jobs
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
$37,170
$17.87 an hour
32,510 jobs
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$36,580
$17.59 an hour
41,470 jobs
York-Hanover, PA
$35,860
$17.24 an hour
5470 jobs
Lebanon, PA
$35,630
$17.13 an hour
62,230 jobs
Lancaster, PA
$35,590
$17.11 an hour
7730 jobs
State College, PA
$35,500
$17.07 an hour
81,420 jobs
Reading, PA
$34,570
$16.62 an hour
9400 jobs
Gettysburg, PA
$34,560
$16.62 an hour
1013,260 jobs
Pittsburgh, PA
$34,230
$16.46 an hour
112,170 jobs
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
$33,550
$16.13 an hour
12500 jobs
Chambersburg, PA
$32,880
$15.81 an hour
13500 jobs
Williamsport, PA
$32,520
$15.64 an hour
14530 jobs
Altoona, PA
$32,360
$15.56 an hour
151,330 jobs
Erie, PA
$32,350
$15.55 an hour
16460 jobs
Johnstown, PA
$31,000
$14.90 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Pennsylvania, charted
Pay over time
Pennsylvania, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Pennsylvania cooks, restaurant work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Pennsylvania highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$38k$38k–$42k$42k+Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,730 | $18.62 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,750 | $17.19 |
| New York | $43,150 | $20.75 |
| New Jersey | $40,770 | $19.60 |
| Maryland | $40,120 | $19.29 |
| Delaware | $39,190 | $18.84 |
| Ohio | $35,280 | $16.96 |
Related jobs in Pennsylvania
Average pay, Pennsylvania, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, restaurant make in Pennsylvania?
The average is $35,750 a year, and the median is $36,580. That is $2,980 (8%) less than the U.S. average of $38,730.
What is the hourly wage in Pennsylvania?
$17.19 an hour on average; the median is $17.59.
Where in Pennsylvania do they earn the most?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($38,970), followed by Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ ($37,170). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Johnstown, PA ($31,000).
How does Pennsylvania rank?
Pennsylvania ranks #35 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-2014. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national cooks, restaurant page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.