Cooks, Restaurant Salary in District of Columbia

As of May 2025, the median annual wage for cooks, restaurant in District of Columbia was $46,130 +23.4% vs national

District of Columbia vs United States

District of ColumbiaUnited States
Median annual$46,130$37,390
Median hourly$22.18$17.98
Employment7,7201,409,890
Location quotient1.211.00

Data source: BLS OES state file (District of Columbia) · U.S. BLS OES survey, May 2025

What the data says

For career planning: entry-level pay (10th percentile) is about $36,440, median pay is $46,130, and experienced pay (90th percentile) reaches $53,020.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average cooks, restaurant salary in District of Columbia?

The median annual wage in District of Columbia is $46,130 ($22.18 per hour), per BLS OES May 2025 data.

How does District of Columbia compare to the national average for cooks, restaurant?

The District of Columbia median of $46,130 is 23.4% higher than the U.S. median of $37,390.

How many cooks, restaurant work in District of Columbia?

Approximately 7,720 are employed in District of Columbia, per BLS OES.