State comparison · 2025
Cooks, Restaurant salary: District of Columbia vs South Dakota
Cooks, Restaurant in District of Columbia earn a median of $46,130. In South Dakota, $36,220. After cost-of-living, the gap is 2.7% — not 27.4%.
Nominal pay gap
+27.4%
District of Columbia vs South Dakota
COL-adjusted gap
+2.7%
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
South Dakota
Cooks, Restaurant
- Median
- $36,220
- p25
- $33,040
- p75
- $38,910
- p10
- $30,140
- p90
- $44,990
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 88.6
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.