Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Austin, TX
Cooks, Fast Food in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area earn a median $38,560 a year — 25% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $33,163 take-home, or $2,764 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Austin, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,447
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,391
- Medicare (1.45%)$559
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$33,163
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Austin, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,680 | $13.31 | $24,404 | $2,034 |
| 25th percentile | $34,850 | $16.75 | $30,182 | $2,515 |
| Median (50th) | $38,560 | $18.54 | $33,163 | $2,764 |
| 75th percentile | $44,540 | $21.41 | $37,968 | $3,164 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $50,970 | $24.50 | $43,134 | $3,595 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $38,560 buys in Austin, TX
Prices in Austin, TX are 1.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.20× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $33,163 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,817 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 Austin, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.85).
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Austin, TX ranks #3 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 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
Cooks, Fast Food salaries elsewhere in Texas
- San Antonio, TX — $30,110
- Dallas, TX — $30,010
- Houston, TX — $23,090
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Austin, TX?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area is $38,560 a year, or about $18.54 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,850 and $44,540.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Austin, TX?
On the median $38,560 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $33,163 a year ($2,764 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Austin, TX a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 25% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 1.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,817 would in a typical U.S. city. Austin, TX ranks #3 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Austin, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Austin, TX is $1,562 a month ($1,852 for two bedrooms) — 57% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Austin, TX
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $40,650
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,810
- Dishwasher — $35,360
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,880
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,310
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,130
- Waiter and Waitress — $27,260
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $27,260
- Bartender — $23,670