BLS metro-level wage data places Cooks, All Other pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA at a median of $42,960 per year ($20.65/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $37,690, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays +14% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pay distribution spans from $27,590 at the 10th percentile to $42,960 at the 90th — a 1.6× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $36,390 and the 75th at $42,960, so half of Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell-based cooks, all others earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide GA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.