Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Springfield, MO
Cooks, Fast Food in the Springfield, MO metro area earn a median $29,190 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,200 take-home, or $2,100 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Springfield, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,323
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,810
- Medicare (1.45%)$423
- Missouri income tax$435
- Take-home pay$25,200
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Springfield, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,600 | $13.75 | $24,753 | $2,063 |
| 25th percentile | $28,600 | $13.75 | $24,753 | $2,063 |
| Median (50th) | $29,190 | $14.03 | $25,200 | $2,100 |
| 75th percentile | $29,660 | $14.26 | $25,555 | $2,130 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $30,920 | $14.87 | $26,508 | $2,209 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,190 buys in Springfield, MO
Prices in Springfield, MO are 11.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 34% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $25,200 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,447 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Springfield, MO has 5.3× the national concentration of cooks, fast food jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Springfield, MO ranks #16 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 |
| 16 | Springfield, MO | $29,190 | $25,200 | $28,447 |
*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.
Cooks, Fast Food salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- Columbia, MO — $29,110
- Kansas City, MO — $30,170
- St. Louis, MO — $30,860
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Springfield, MO?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Springfield, MO metro area is $29,190 a year, or about $14.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,600 and $29,660.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Springfield, MO?
On the median $29,190 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $25,200 a year ($2,100 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $435 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is Springfield, MO a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 11.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,447 would in a typical U.S. city. Springfield, MO ranks #16 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Springfield, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Springfield, MO is $868 a month ($1,074 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Springfield, MO
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,950
- Waiter and Waitress — $29,350