Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Indiana

As of May 2025, the median annual wage for cooks, restaurant in Indiana was $35,170 -5.9% vs national

Indiana vs United States

IndianaUnited States
Median annual$35,170$37,390
Median hourly$16.91$17.98
Employment26,9601,409,890
Location quotient0.931.00

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

What this means

Employment density in Indiana is 0.93x the national average — a below-average concentration of these roles in the local economy.

The mean wage of $34,150 sits 2.9% below the median — the typical worker earns close to the median, while a smaller group of higher earners pulls the average down.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average cooks, restaurant salary in Indiana?

The median annual wage in Indiana is $35,170 ($16.91 per hour), per BLS OES May 2025 data.

How does Indiana compare to the national average for cooks, restaurant?

The Indiana median of $35,170 is 5.9% lower than the U.S. median of $37,390.

How many cooks, restaurant work in Indiana?

Approximately 26,960 are employed in Indiana, per BLS OES.