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State comparison · 2025

Cooks, Restaurant salary: Massachusetts vs Virginia

Occupation

Cooks, Restaurant in Massachusetts earn a median of $45,600. In Virginia, $36,750. After cost-of-living, the gap is 18.6% — not 24.1%.

Nominal pay gap
+24.1%
Massachusetts vs Virginia
COL-adjusted gap
+18.6%
After BEA Regional Price Parities

Massachusetts

Cooks, Restaurant

Median
$45,600
p25
$38,370
p75
$49,040
p10
$36,540
p90
$58,590
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
105.8
See full breakdown for Massachusetts

Virginia

Cooks, Restaurant

Median
$36,750
p25
$33,270
p75
$42,990
p10
$29,340
p90
$45,740
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
101.1
See full breakdown for Virginia

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.