Side-by-side distribution
Bartender
$16.90/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 28.2%
- Live roles
- 1,062
Cook
$20.50/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 47.5%
- Live roles
- 4,351
Highest-paying jobs
Seasonal Bartender
Bartender
Bartender
Bartender - Part Time
Kai Bar - Bartender
Seasonal Bartender (May to October 2026)
Seasonal Bartender (May - October 2026)
Banquet Bartender
Bartender - Flex
Combination Bartender/Server - Casual
Highest-paying jobs
Cook Full Time
Cook
Cook - Part Time
Cook - Part Time
Cook
In-Home Physician Full Time - Chicago, Cook County
In-Home Physician Part Time - Chicago, Cook County
In-Home Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Part Time - Chicago, Cook County
In-Home Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Full Time - Chicago, Cook County
Case Manager Registered Nurse - Field (Cook County)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$24,419 | 44 |
ASM Global
|
$35,152 | 33 |
Dave & Buster's
|
$21,455 | 16 |
Soho House & Co.
|
$42,803 | 15 |
| AG Arcis Golf | $48,308 | 12 |
JOEY Restaurants
|
$37,336 | 12 |
Stonebridge Companies
|
$32,240 | 11 |
Life Time
|
$34,320 | 10 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Chuck E. Cheese
|
$34,320 | 222 |
|
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$41,600 | 83 |
DIG INN Chefs-In-Training
|
$36,400 | 79 |
Sanford Health
|
$41,600 | 76 |
Wegmans
|
$37,440 | 71 |
| HH HHS | $37,440 | 63 |
|
ASM Global
|
$42,640 | 59 |
Global Partners
|
$40,279 | 52 |
Cook salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $56,160 | 13 |
| Chicago | $54,288 | 33 |
| Los Angeles | $52,562 | 9 |
| San Francisco | $51,553 | 9 |
| Denver | $50,440 | 6 |
| Toronto | $44,002 | 22 |
| Austin | $43,971 | 11 |
| Boston | $41,454 | 41 |
| Dublin | $37,856 | 4 |
| New York | $36,400 | 73 |
Bartender vs Cook: which pays more?
The median for Bartender is $16.90/hr per year (typically $12.35/hr–$19.00/hr), versus $20.50/hr for Cook ($18.00/hr–$23.50/hr). That puts Cook about 21% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Bartender and Cook are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.