Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Chicago, IL
Cooks, Fast Food in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $35,360 a year — 14% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,986 take-home, or $2,416 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,063
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,192
- Medicare (1.45%)$513
- Illinois income tax$1,606
- Take-home pay$28,986
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,850 | $2,154 |
| 25th percentile | $33,040 | $15.88 | $27,237 | $2,270 |
| Median (50th) | $35,360 | $17.00 | $28,986 | $2,416 |
| 75th percentile | $37,710 | $18.13 | $30,758 | $2,563 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $41,480 | $19.94 | $33,601 | $2,800 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,360 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $28,986 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,980 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 Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.56), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #57 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 |
| 57 | Chicago, IL | $35,360 | $28,986 | $27,980 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 174 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Chicago, IL?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $35,360 a year, or about $17.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $33,040 and $37,710.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $35,360 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $28,986 a year ($2,416 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,606 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 14% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,980 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #57 of 174 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 64% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,770
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $42,650
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $39,930
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,930
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,290
- Cooks, Short Order — $37,440
- Dishwasher — $36,850
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,670
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,410
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $34,630
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $31,720
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200