Cooks, Restaurant Salary in New Jersey
The median for cooks, restaurant in New Jersey is $38,460 a year, somewhat above the national $37,390 (+3%); the state ranks 17th of 51 states by median. That is 34% less than the median across all occupations in New Jersey ($58,570). Among neighbouring states, New York pays more (up to $43,680 in New York) and Delaware and Pennsylvania pay less (down to $36,580 in Pennsylvania). New Jersey employs 28,800 cooks, restaurant, 6.72 per 1,000 jobs, the 16th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.74 means it is less common in New Jersey than nationally.
New Jersey vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.25 | $18.49 | $21.92 | $24.04 | $19.60 | 28,800 | 6.72 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $35,880 | $38,460 | $45,600 | $50,010 | $40,770 | ||||
| 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
- 17th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 16th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.74
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.72
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of New Jersey'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 New Jersey
6 metropolitan areas touching New Jersey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $21.03 | $43,740 | $33,040 | $54,240 | 69,250 | 7.30 | 0.80 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $19.35 | $40,250 | $35,000 | $50,840 | 3,370 | 20.00 | 2.21 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $18.46 | $38,400 | $32,220 | $48,600 | 1,020 | 4.24 | 0.47 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $18.40 | $38,270 | $29,750 | $47,010 | 24,220 | 8.36 | 0.92 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $17.85 | $37,120 | $27,540 | $46,160 | 3,200 | 8.48 | 0.93 |
| Vineland, NJ | $17.74 | $36,890 | $32,220 | $47,110 | 260 | 4.17 | 0.46 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $18.49 | $38,460 | 28,800 | 0.74 |
| Delaware | $18.19 | $37,840 | 5,280 | 1.20 |
| New York | $21.00 | $43,680 | 71,530 | 0.81 |
| Pennsylvania | $17.59 | $36,580 | 54,100 | 0.98 |
See the national page for Cooks, Restaurant (every state ranked) and the New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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.