Quick answer
Restaurant Cooks in New Jersey earned a median of $38,460 a year ($18.49 an hour) in May 2025, 3% above the national median of $37,390; 28,800 were employed there, ranking #17 of 54 states and territories by median pay, per BLS OEWS.
Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
| Measure | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $38,460 | $37,390 |
| Mean annual wage | $40,770 | $38,730 |
| Median hourly wage | $18.49 | $17.98 |
| 10th percentile | $32,220 | $28,700 |
| 25th percentile | $35,880 | $34,010 |
| 75th percentile | $45,600 | $44,620 |
| 90th percentile | $50,010 | $47,900 |
| Employment | 28,800 | 1,409,890 |
| Jobs per 1,000 | 6.721 | — |
| Location quotient | 0.74 | 1.00 |
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.