$ PaycheckDecoded

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.

Cooks, Fast Food take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Cooks, Fast Food
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

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

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-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 areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1San Jose, CA$47,220$38,625$34,9794,790
2Merced, CA$40,430$33,533$34,122660
3Bakersfield, CA$41,480$34,321$34,0202,450
4Austin, TX$38,560$33,163$33,8174,540
5Seattle, WA$44,030$37,558$33,7965,190
6Modesto, CA$42,510$35,094$33,7101,620
7Vallejo, CA$44,450$36,550$33,6941,150
8Hanford, CA$41,280$34,171$33,629450
9Santa Rosa, CA$43,840$36,093$33,4861,050
10Visalia, CA$39,750$33,023$33,0811,410
11Chico, CA$40,340$33,466$33,070580
12San Francisco, CA$46,670$38,217$33,05610,160
13Riverside, CA$42,480$35,072$32,94916,910
14Redding, CA$39,920$33,151$32,925470
15Stockton, CA$41,600$34,411$32,7452,260
16Santa Cruz, CA$43,630$35,935$32,699710
17Sacramento, CA$42,210$34,869$32,6898,020
18Salinas, CA$43,120$35,552$32,6041,100
19Santa Maria, CA$42,700$35,237$32,3881,430
20San Luis Obispo, CA$42,390$35,004$32,234850
21Fresno, CA$39,620$32,925$32,2303,910
22Oxnard, CA$42,530$35,109$31,7632,520
23Sioux Falls, SD$32,970$28,671$31,635740
24San Diego, CA$42,450$35,049$31,32610,630
25Nashville, TN$34,210$29,668$30,7954,840

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Cooks, Fast Food salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Hawaii $48,120$38,696 $29,120 – $53,580—
District of Columbia $44,670$36,558 $36,480 – $51,2602,760
California $42,050$34,749 $35,750 – $48,750124,440
Washington $39,120$33,613 $35,330 – $44,8609,020
New Hampshire $38,590$33,187 $35,720 – $45,9301,330
Vermont $38,230$32,051 $31,540 – $39,650640
Oregon $37,880$30,132 $31,610 – $49,2404,300
Massachusetts $37,870$30,935 $35,590 – $48,140—
Colorado $36,900$30,914 $31,970 – $46,6109,220
Maine $36,350$30,071 $31,350 – $44,2801,470
New York $35,770$29,587 $32,770 – $40,25011,710
Rhode Island $35,230$29,783 $31,200 – $38,4701,210
Connecticut $34,980$29,637 $34,010 – $42,6403,630
Illinois $34,960$28,685 $31,200 – $40,58013,430
Minnesota $34,120$28,589 $24,550 – $39,5605,190
Alaska $33,960$29,467 $30,160 – $37,7602,250
Nevada $33,840$29,370 $26,530 – $43,4405,890
Maryland $33,320$27,734 $31,200 – $38,21010,960
Arizona $32,660$27,815 $30,580 – $36,44011,210
New Jersey $32,220$27,592 $32,220 – $41,8603,440
Delaware $31,840$26,673 $31,200 – $48,870850
Utah $31,800$27,266 $27,760 – $47,2004,400
Idaho $31,070$26,606 $18,620 – $35,8601,610
South Dakota $30,950$27,048 $25,410 – $34,9101,720
Nebraska $30,430$26,092 $28,080 – $36,9102,900
North Dakota $30,220$26,462 $23,060 – $38,480580
New Mexico $30,190$26,080 $27,860 – $37,5501,800
Virginia $29,950$25,337 $27,400 – $37,73012,520
Florida $29,900$26,205 $27,460 – $41,40022,600
Missouri $29,890$25,729 $28,600 – $35,29055,780
Indiana $29,870$25,329 $24,050 – $37,3106,830
Michigan $29,460$24,850 $25,960 – $37,24014,340
Wyoming $28,950$25,441 $21,240 – $42,520890
Wisconsin $28,920$24,918 $22,550 – $34,9206,900
Pennsylvania $28,810$24,444 $22,610 – $42,3809,240
Kansas $28,640$24,367 $22,480 – $38,6801,610
Iowa $28,510$24,656 $15,080 – $40,8108,290
Tennessee $28,330$24,940 $20,380 – $38,33014,020
Texas $28,280$24,899 $20,800 – $39,14036,240
Alabama $27,870$23,432 $22,640 – $34,17026,740
Oklahoma $27,720$23,736 $22,340 – $36,9008,860
Arkansas $27,710$23,561 $23,770 – $32,7207,860
South Carolina $27,420$23,702 $21,690 – $37,1409,110
North Carolina $27,190$23,425 $21,890 – $34,86081,980
Georgia $26,940$23,020 $20,800 – $36,81012,940
Ohio $26,870$23,737 $22,500 – $35,57012,310
Montana $26,770$23,154 $22,090 – $47,100820
Louisiana $24,960$21,802 $20,890 – $29,6403,000
Kentucky $23,500$20,257 $21,220 – $30,00021,750
West Virginia $23,120$20,098 $21,600 – $28,30016,490
Mississippi $22,670$20,104 $18,540 – $28,79011,170

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 174 cities