Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Boulder, CO
Cooks, Fast Food in the Boulder, CO metro area earn a median $36,250 a year — 17% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,420 take-home, or $2,535 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Boulder, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,170
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,248
- Medicare (1.45%)$526
- Colorado income tax$887
- Take-home pay$30,420
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% state
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Boulder, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,380 | $16.05 | $28,241 | $2,353 |
| 25th percentile | $33,380 | $16.05 | $28,241 | $2,353 |
| Median (50th) | $36,250 | $17.43 | $30,420 | $2,535 |
| 75th percentile | $39,390 | $18.94 | $32,805 | $2,734 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,380 | $21.82 | $37,355 | $3,113 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,250 buys in Boulder, CO
Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.2% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.57× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $30,420 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,916 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 less concentrated in Boulder, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.73), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Boulder, CO ranks #39 of 174 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 | Merced, CA | $40,430 | $33,533 | $34,122 |
| 3 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 |
| 6 | Modesto, CA | $42,510 | $35,094 | $33,710 |
| 7 | Vallejo, CA | $44,450 | $36,550 | $33,694 |
| 8 | Hanford, CA | $41,280 | $34,171 | $33,629 |
| 39 | Boulder, CO | $36,250 | $30,420 | $28,916 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 174 metros →
Cooks, Fast Food salaries elsewhere in Colorado
- Colorado Springs, CO — $36,560
- Denver, CO — $38,530
- Fort Collins, CO — $35,230
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Boulder, CO?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Boulder, CO metro area is $36,250 a year, or about $17.43 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $33,380 and $39,390.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Boulder, CO?
On the median $36,250 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $30,420 a year ($2,535 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $887 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Boulder, CO a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 17% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 5.2% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,916 would in a typical U.S. city. Boulder, CO ranks #39 of 174 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Boulder, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boulder, CO is $1,795 a month ($2,124 for two bedrooms) — 71% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boulder, CO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $52,020
- Waiter and Waitress — $49,870
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $48,020
- Bartender — $42,520
- Cooks, Restaurant — $42,220
- Food Preparation Worker — $39,690
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $38,930
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $38,220
- Dishwasher — $37,750
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $37,460
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $36,190