Cooks, Fast Food Salary
Cooks, Fast Food earn a median $30,890 a year nationally. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
U.S. median
$30,890
$14.85 per hour
Range
$22,580 – $42,910
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
641,070
across the U.S.
▲2.4%
Pay trend: The median for cooks, fast food in the U.S. rose from $30,160 (May 2024) to $30,890 (May 2025). That roughly kept pace with inflation (2.4%).
What cooks, fast food do
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)
- Openings per year
- 86,400
Employment of cooks, fast food is projected to grow 0.6% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 86,400 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Fast Food take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$27,000
per year · effective tax rate 12.6%
$2,250Monthly
$1,125Twice a month
$1,038Every 2 weeks
$12.98Hourly
- Federal income tax$1,527
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,915
- Medicare (1.45%)$448
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$27,000
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,580 | $10.86 | $20,205 |
| 25th percentile | $27,260 | $13.11 | $24,059 |
| Median (50th) | $30,890 | $14.85 | $27,000 |
| 75th percentile | $37,260 | $17.91 | $32,118 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,910 | $20.63 | $36,658 |
Best cities for cooks, fast food (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $47,220 | $38,625 | $34,979 | 4,790 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 | 2,450 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 | 4,540 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 | 5,190 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,670 | $38,217 | $33,056 | 10,160 |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $42,480 | $35,072 | $32,949 | 16,910 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $42,210 | $34,869 | $32,689 | 8,020 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $32,925 | $32,230 | 3,910 |
| 9 | Oxnard, CA | $42,530 | $35,109 | $31,763 | 2,520 |
| 10 | San Diego, CA | $42,450 | $35,049 | $31,326 | 10,630 |
| 11 | Nashville, TN | $34,210 | $29,668 | $30,795 | 4,840 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $38,530 | $32,152 | $30,395 | 4,220 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $33,960 | $29,467 | $29,404 | 4,490 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $38,580 | $30,633 | $29,058 | 2,520 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,380 | $30,284 | $28,890 | 3,550 |
| 16 | Springfield, MO | $29,190 | $25,200 | $28,447 | 4,880 |
| 17 | Columbia, MO | $29,110 | $25,139 | $28,108 | 2,470 |
| 18 | Kansas City, MO | $30,170 | $25,941 | $28,031 | 13,850 |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $35,360 | $28,986 | $27,980 | 10,460 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $38,000 | $31,710 | $27,922 | 48,440 |
| 21 | San Antonio, TX | $30,110 | $26,373 | $27,845 | 4,470 |
| 22 | St. Louis, MO | $30,860 | $26,463 | $27,830 | 17,700 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | $35,800 | $29,963 | $27,519 | 10,580 |
| 24 | Phoenix, AZ | $33,190 | $28,227 | $27,321 | 7,900 |
| 25 | Little Rock, AR | $28,580 | $24,242 | $27,127 | 3,050 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $47,220
- San Francisco, CA — $46,670
- Seattle, WA — $44,030
- Oxnard, CA — $42,530
- Riverside, CA — $42,480
- San Diego, CA — $42,450
- Sacramento, CA — $42,210
- Bakersfield, CA — $41,480
- Fresno, CA — $39,620
- Portland, OR — $38,580
- Austin, TX — $38,560
- Denver, CO — $38,530
- Los Angeles, CA — $38,000
- Minneapolis, MN — $36,380
- Washington, DC — $35,800
Cooks, Fast Food salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 | +19.4% | $38,696 | $29,120 – $53,580 | — |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 | +16.5% | $36,558 | $36,480 – $51,260 | 2,760 |
| California | $42,050 | +15.5% | $34,749 | $35,750 – $48,750 | 124,440 |
| Washington | $39,120 | +6.3% | $33,613 | $35,330 – $44,860 | 9,020 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 | +3.7% | $33,187 | $35,720 – $45,930 | 1,330 |
| Vermont | $38,230 | +3.2% | $32,051 | $31,540 – $39,650 | 640 |
| Oregon | $37,880 | +2.3% | $30,132 | $31,610 – $49,240 | 4,300 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 | +2.1% | $30,935 | $35,590 – $48,140 | — |
| Colorado | $36,900 | +5.0% | $30,914 | $31,970 – $46,610 | 9,220 |
| Maine | $36,350 | +1.6% | $30,071 | $31,350 – $44,280 | 1,470 |
| New York | $35,770 | +4.7% | $29,587 | $32,770 – $40,250 | 11,710 |
| Rhode Island | $35,230 | −1.0% | $29,783 | $31,200 – $38,470 | 1,210 |
| Connecticut | $34,980 | +3.6% | $29,637 | $34,010 – $42,640 | 3,630 |
| Illinois | $34,960 | +10.7% | $28,685 | $31,200 – $40,580 | 13,430 |
| Minnesota | $34,120 | +10.7% | $28,589 | $24,550 – $39,560 | 5,190 |
| Alaska | $33,960 | −5.2% | $29,467 | $30,160 – $37,760 | 2,250 |
| Nevada | $33,840 | +3.5% | $29,370 | $26,530 – $43,440 | 5,890 |
| Maryland | $33,320 | +4.9% | $27,734 | $31,200 – $38,210 | 10,960 |
| Arizona | $32,660 | +5.0% | $27,815 | $30,580 – $36,440 | 11,210 |
| New Jersey | $32,220 | −5.0% | $27,592 | $32,220 – $41,860 | 3,440 |
| Delaware | $31,840 | +10.0% | $26,673 | $31,200 – $48,870 | 850 |
| Utah | $31,800 | +6.1% | $27,266 | $27,760 – $47,200 | 4,400 |
| Idaho | $31,070 | +18.9% | $26,606 | $18,620 – $35,860 | 1,610 |
| South Dakota | $30,950 | +1.0% | $27,048 | $25,410 – $34,910 | 1,720 |
| Nebraska | $30,430 | +4.2% | $26,092 | $28,080 – $36,910 | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $30,220 | +3.0% | $26,462 | $23,060 – $38,480 | 580 |
| New Mexico | $30,190 | +4.7% | $26,080 | $27,860 – $37,550 | 1,800 |
| Virginia | $29,950 | +4.5% | $25,337 | $27,400 – $37,730 | 12,520 |
| Florida | $29,900 | +3.3% | $26,205 | $27,460 – $41,400 | 22,600 |
| Missouri | $29,890 | +1.5% | $25,729 | $28,600 – $35,290 | 55,780 |
| Indiana | $29,870 | +4.4% | $25,329 | $24,050 – $37,310 | 6,830 |
| Michigan | $29,460 | +0.4% | $24,850 | $25,960 – $37,240 | 14,340 |
| Wyoming | $28,950 | −10.1% | $25,441 | $21,240 – $42,520 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $28,920 | +1.8% | $24,918 | $22,550 – $34,920 | 6,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,810 | +5.0% | $24,444 | $22,610 – $42,380 | 9,240 |
| Kansas | $28,640 | +1.9% | $24,367 | $22,480 – $38,680 | 1,610 |
| Iowa | $28,510 | −0.9% | $24,656 | $15,080 – $40,810 | 8,290 |
| Tennessee | $28,330 | +1.1% | $24,940 | $20,380 – $38,330 | 14,020 |
| Texas | $28,280 | +15.9% | $24,899 | $20,800 – $39,140 | 36,240 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | +4.4% | $23,432 | $22,640 – $34,170 | 26,740 |
| Oklahoma | $27,720 | +0.8% | $23,736 | $22,340 – $36,900 | 8,860 |
| Arkansas | $27,710 | +12.2% | $23,561 | $23,770 – $32,720 | 7,860 |
| South Carolina | $27,420 | +14.6% | $23,702 | $21,690 – $37,140 | 9,110 |
| North Carolina | $27,190 | +1.6% | $23,425 | $21,890 – $34,860 | 81,980 |
| Georgia | $26,940 | +1.8% | $23,020 | $20,800 – $36,810 | 12,940 |
| Ohio | $26,870 | +1.3% | $23,737 | $22,500 – $35,570 | 12,310 |
| Montana | $26,770 | +1.9% | $23,154 | $22,090 – $47,100 | 820 |
| Louisiana | $24,960 | +13.8% | $21,802 | $20,890 – $29,640 | 3,000 |
| Kentucky | $23,500 | +0.3% | $20,257 | $21,220 – $30,000 | 21,750 |
| West Virginia | $23,120 | +1.4% | $20,098 | $21,600 – $28,300 | 16,490 |
| Mississippi | $22,670 | +1.9% | $20,104 | $18,540 – $28,790 | 11,170 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | No formal educational credential | -5.2% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | No formal educational credential | +12.1% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | No formal educational credential | +2.8% |
| Cooks, All Other | $37,690 | No formal educational credential | +5.2% |
| Cooks, Private Household | $47,940 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.1% |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | No formal educational credential | -3.0% |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $31,200 | No formal educational credential | +5.8% |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | No formal educational credential | +3.4% |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper | $33,980 | No formal educational credential | +5.3% |
| Bartender | $34,340 | No formal educational credential | +5.0% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make?
The national median salary for cooks, fast food is $30,890 a year ($14.85 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $22,580 and the top 10% earn over $42,910. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays cooks, fast food the most?
Hawaii has the highest median pay at $48,120. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many cooks, fast food are there in the U.S.?
About 641,070 people work as cooks, fast food nationwide.
All 53 cities
- Asheville, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Birmingham, AL
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Columbia, MO
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Durham, NC
- Fayetteville, NC
- Fresno, CA
- Greensboro, NC
- Hickory, NC
- Houston, TX
- Huntington, WV
- Huntsville, AL
- Jackson, MS
- Kansas City, MO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Little Rock, AR
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Miami, FL
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Orlando, FL
- Oxnard, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Springfield, MO
- St. Louis, MO
- Tulsa, OK
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- Wilmington, NC
- Winston, NC