Side-by-side distribution
Cook
$36,400
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47%
- Live roles
- 502
Server
$27,250
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 5.6%
- Live roles
- 124
Highest-paying jobs
Cook 2026
Assistant Cook 2026
Line Cook/Assistant Sous Chef
Line Cook - Banff Park Ranch - Staff Housing Available
Sushi Cook, Sensei by Nobu | Start on August 27, 2026
Line Cook - The Bison Restaurant + Terrace - Staff Housing Available
Black Wolf Bistro Cook - NOC 65201
Line Cook - Chuck's Steakhouse - Staff Housing Available
Line Cook - The Maple Leaf - Staff Housing Available
Line Cook - Bluebird Restaurant - Staff Housing Available
Highest-paying jobs
Server, Food Nutrition & Services - Point Loma Campus
Waiter/Waitress - Zero Hour Contract - Hurlingham
Waiter/ Waitress - O2, London
Restaurant Server
Waiter/Waitress
Waiter/Waitress
Restaurant Server - Sunny's- Seasonal
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
DIG INN Chefs-In-Training
|
$36,400 | 101 |
JOEY Restaurants
|
$43,810 | 20 |
|
Banff Hospitality Collective
|
$65,520 | 16 |
Middlebury College
|
$43,696 | 10 |
LOCAL Public Eatery
|
$42,770 | 10 |
Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa | Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman
|
$22,880 | 7 |
|
Ocean Casino Resort
|
$51,168 | 5 |
Otterbein SeniorLife
|
$5,250 | 5 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Hightechhigh
|
$47,538 | 1 |
|
KYN
|
$39,044 | 1 |
|
TOCA Social
|
$35,446 | 1 |
|
The Social Hub
|
$27,250 | 1 |
|
Soho House & Co.
|
$27,022 | 1 |
|
Urbana Country Club
|
$26,000 | 1 |
|
Ocean Casino Resort
|
$24,523 | 1 |
Cook vs Server: which pays more?
The median for Cook is $36,400 per year (typically $36,400–$44,720), versus $27,250 for Server ($26,511–$37,245). That puts Cook about 34% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Cook and Server 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.