Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Nashville, TN
Cooks, Fast Food in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area earn a median $34,210 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,668 take-home, or $2,472 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Nashville, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,925
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,121
- Medicare (1.45%)$496
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$29,668
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Nashville, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,340 | $10.74 | $20,007 | $1,667 |
| 25th percentile | $28,340 | $13.63 | $24,948 | $2,079 |
| Median (50th) | $34,210 | $16.45 | $29,668 | $2,472 |
| 75th percentile | $37,670 | $18.11 | $32,448 | $2,704 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $38,740 | $18.63 | $33,308 | $2,776 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,210 buys in Nashville, TN
Prices in Nashville, TN are 3.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $29,668 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,795 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Fast Food jobs are about as common in Nashville, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.07).
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Nashville, TN ranks #11 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $47,220 | $38,625 | $34,979 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,670 | $38,217 | $33,056 |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $42,480 | $35,072 | $32,949 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $42,210 | $34,869 | $32,689 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $32,925 | $32,230 |
| 11 | Nashville, TN | $34,210 | $29,668 | $30,795 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
About the job: cooks, fast food
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +0.6% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Nashville, TN?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area is $34,210 a year, or about $16.45 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,340 and $37,670.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Nashville, TN?
On the median $34,210 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $29,668 a year ($2,472 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Nashville, TN a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 11% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 3.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,795 would in a typical U.S. city. Nashville, TN ranks #11 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Nashville, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Nashville, TN is $1,530 a month ($1,685 for two bedrooms) — 62% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Nashville, TN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,630
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,170
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,910
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,640
- Dishwasher — $34,380
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,520
- Waiter and Waitress — $29,390
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,150
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $28,800
- Bartender — $28,190