Line cook salary in 2026
National pay, hourly rates, city listings, and live line cook jobs from MAJC's coverage area. Numbers below combine U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with 169 active postings. Hiring? Use the free line cook job description template.
Median (national)
$36,420
$17.51/hr · BLS May 2024
Top 10 percent
$51K+
$24.33/hr effective
MAJC advertised upper median
$46,800
From 112 disclosed
National pay for line cooks
$36,420median, full year
About$17.51/hr. Top 10 percent earn$51K+.
Of 112 MAJC postings with comparable USD pay in this category, median annualized advertised upper amount is $46,800. Uses the advertised range maximum, or the minimum when no maximum is given. USD only; hourly rates assume 2,080 hours per year. This is not actual annual earnings or a representative wage estimate.
BLS Occupation35-2014Cooks, Restaurant, May 2024. Source
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Line cook pay by city
MAJC-active metros with at least one disclosed line cook salary in the last 14 days. Median of annualized advertised upper amounts in comparable USD listings only. Uses the advertised range maximum, or the minimum when no maximum is given. USD only; hourly rates assume 2,080 hours per year. This is not actual annual earnings or a representative wage estimate.
What to Compare in Line cook Offers
- Scope of work. Compare service volume, team size, and responsibilities when evaluating offers.
- Specialized knowledge. Check which certifications, cuisine knowledge, or technical systems each employer requires.
- Language requirements. Ask which languages you will use at work and how that responsibility is reflected in the offer.
- Tenure + leadership. Compare the responsibilities and disclosed pay for each position. A title alone does not establish a pay premium.
- Disclosed pay. Check the range, pay period, expected hours, and tip policy in each line cook listing.
Top-paying live line cook jobs right now
Highest disclosed salaries across 169 active line cook postings.
- $150k to $200k/yr
General Manager, CookUnity Flagship
- $30 to $37/hr
Cook 1 - InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown
- $20 to $36/hr
Line Cook
- $33/hr
Cook III Banquets Kitchen
Frequently asked
- What is the average line cook salary?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics median annual pay for cooks, restaurant is $36,420 ($17.51/hr) as of May 2024. The top 10% earn $51K or more.
- How much does a line cook make per hour?
- BLS reports a median hourly wage of $17.51/hr for cooks, restaurant as of May 2024. For tipped roles, this BLS wage measure includes tips.
- Can these listings show which cities pay line cooks the most?
- The available listings are not a representative city wage survey. Cities shown here are ordered by the number of available jobs. Compare each offer's pay range, expected hours, and tip policy before drawing conclusions about earnings.
- How should I compare skill requirements for line cook jobs?
- Compare the skills each employer requests with the duties and disclosed pay. Ask which certifications, languages, systems, and leadership responsibilities the job requires. These listings do not establish a pay premium for a particular skill.
- How do I compare pay in line cook job listings?
- Use the "Salary listed" filter to find disclosed pay. Check the pay period, expected hours, and whether tips are included before comparing offers. Browse all 169 line cook listings below.