Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Connecticut
The median for cooks, restaurant in Connecticut is $39,480 a year, somewhat above the national $37,390 (+6%); the state ranks 13th of 51 states by median. That is 34% less than the median across all occupations in Connecticut ($59,690). Among neighbouring states, Massachusetts and New York pay more (up to $45,600 in Massachusetts) and Rhode Island pays less (down to $36,510 in Rhode Island). Connecticut employs 14,830 cooks, restaurant, 8.75 per 1,000 jobs, the 29th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.96 is close to the national share.
Connecticut vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $17.05 | $17.82 | $18.98 | $22.09 | $23.76 | $20.25 | 14,830 | 8.75 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $35,460 | $37,060 | $39,480 | $45,950 | $49,420 | $42,110 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.80 | $16.35 | $17.98 | $21.45 | $23.03 | $18.62 | 1,409,890 | – | – |
| Annual | $28,700 | $34,010 | $37,390 | $44,620 | $47,900 | $38,730 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 13th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 29th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.96
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.75
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Connecticut's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Connecticut
5 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Connecticut publish a row for cooks, restaurant, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $20.87 | $43,400 | $36,390 | $50,240 | 3,970 | 9.82 | 1.08 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $18.82 | $39,150 | $35,390 | $48,900 | 4,900 | 8.17 | 0.90 |
| New Haven, CT | $18.80 | $39,100 | $36,080 | $49,420 | 2,350 | 8.36 | 0.92 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $18.54 | $38,570 | $34,750 | $48,290 | 1,290 | 8.03 | 0.89 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $18.36 | $38,180 | $35,250 | $48,450 | 1,670 | 13.21 | 1.46 |
| Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $18.34 | $38,140 | $34,820 | $47,840 | 630 | 9.50 | 1.05 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $18.98 | $39,480 | 14,830 | 0.96 |
| Massachusetts | $21.92 | $45,600 | 29,570 | 0.90 |
| New York | $21.00 | $43,680 | 71,530 | 0.81 |
| Rhode Island | $17.55 | $36,510 | 6,950 | 1.53 |
See the national page for Cooks, Restaurant (every state ranked) and the Connecticut wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Connecticut estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.