BLS metro-level wage data places Cooks, All Other pay in Memphis, TN-MS-AR at a median of $38,950 per year ($18.73/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $37,690, Memphis pays +3% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both.

The Memphis pay distribution spans from $33,050 at the 10th percentile to $38,950 at the 90th — a 1.2× 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 $37,910 and the 75th at $38,950, so half of Memphis-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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 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 TN data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.