Cooks, Restaurant pay in Ohio
$35,280avg. a year
$16.96 an hour · 46,910 employed
Cooks, Restaurant in Ohio earn an average of $35,280 a year. That is $3,450 (9%) less than the U.S. average of $38,730. The best-paying metro area is Cleveland, OH at $37,330.
$35,540Median pay
$16.96Average hourly
+33%Avg. pay since 2020
#38Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Ohio metro areas
Average pay for cooks, restaurant by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
18,190 jobs
Cleveland, OH
$37,330
$17.95 an hour
28,600 jobs
Columbus, OH
$36,910
$17.75 an hour
31,570 jobs
Canton-Massillon, OH
$35,620
$17.12 an hour
42,820 jobs
Akron, OH
$35,300
$16.97 an hour
52,960 jobs
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH
$35,200
$16.92 an hour
610,810 jobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$35,010
$16.83 an hour
72,920 jobs
Toledo, OH
$34,830
$16.75 an hour
8320 jobs
Springfield, OH
$34,620
$16.64 an hour
9910 jobs
Sandusky, OH
$34,430
$16.56 an hour
10380 jobs
Lima, OH
$33,640
$16.17 an hour
111,600 jobs
Youngstown-Warren, OH
$33,450
$16.08 an hour
12480 jobs
Mansfield, OH
$33,000
$15.87 an hour
13320 jobs
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
$31,440
$15.12 an hour
14580 jobs
Wheeling, WV-OH
$31,190
$15.00 an hour
151,090 jobs
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
$30,570
$14.70 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 Ohio, charted
Pay over time
Ohio, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Ohio cooks, restaurant work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Ohio highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$38k$38k–$42k$42k+Ohio
Ohio vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,730 | $18.62 |
| Ohio | $35,280 | $16.96 |
| Michigan | $37,570 | $18.06 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,750 | $17.19 |
| Indiana | $34,150 | $16.42 |
| Kentucky | $33,700 | $16.20 |
| West Virginia | $30,950 | $14.88 |
Related jobs in Ohio
- Food Preparation Workers$34,560
- Cooks, Fast Food$27,860
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$37,160
- Cooks, Short Order$30,280
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,900
- Waiters and Waitresses$42,190
Average pay, Ohio, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, restaurant make in Ohio?
The average is $35,280 a year, and the median is $35,540. That is $3,450 (9%) less than the U.S. average of $38,730.
What is the hourly wage in Ohio?
$16.96 an hour on average; the median is $17.09.
Where in Ohio do they earn the most?
Cleveland, OH ($37,330), followed by Columbus, OH ($36,910). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH ($30,570).
How does Ohio rank?
Ohio ranks #38 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.