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State comparison · 2025

Cooks, Restaurant salary: District of Columbia vs Kentucky

Occupation

Cooks, Restaurant in District of Columbia earn a median of $46,130. In Kentucky, $34,640. After cost-of-living, the gap is 9.3% — not 33.2%.

Nominal pay gap
+33.2%
District of Columbia vs Kentucky
COL-adjusted gap
+9.3%
After BEA Regional Price Parities

District of Columbia

Cooks, Restaurant

Median
$46,130
p25
$39,960
p75
$47,890
p10
$36,440
p90
$53,020
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
109.9
See full breakdown for District of Columbia

Kentucky

Cooks, Restaurant

Median
$34,640
p25
$28,850
p75
$37,200
p10
$24,750
p90
$43,750
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
90.2
See full breakdown for Kentucky

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.