Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Denver, CO
Cooks, Fast Food in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $38,530 a year — 25% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,152 take-home, or $2,679 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,444
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,389
- Medicare (1.45%)$559
- Colorado income tax$987
- Take-home pay$32,152
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,040 | $16.37 | $28,742 | $2,395 |
| 25th percentile | $35,930 | $17.27 | $30,177 | $2,515 |
| Median (50th) | $38,530 | $18.52 | $32,152 | $2,679 |
| 75th percentile | $40,790 | $19.61 | $33,868 | $2,822 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,570 | $23.83 | $40,537 | $3,378 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $38,530 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $32,152 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,395 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 Denver, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #12 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 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $38,530 | $32,152 | $30,395 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
About the job: cooks, fast food
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)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Denver, CO?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $38,530 a year, or about $18.52 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,930 and $40,790.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $38,530 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $32,152 a year ($2,679 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $987 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 25% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,395 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #12 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 65% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $52,520
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $45,070
- Cooks, Restaurant — $44,370
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $39,850
- Waiter and Waitress — $39,650
- Food Preparation Worker — $39,470
- Dishwasher — $38,710
- Bartender — $37,180
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $37,070
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $36,880
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $36,340