Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Dothan, AL
Cooks, Fast Food in the Dothan, AL metro area earn a median $26,020 a year — 16% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $22,001 take-home, or $1,833 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Dothan, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$992
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,613
- Medicare (1.45%)$377
- Alabama income tax$1,036
- Take-home pay$22,001
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 5.00% state
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Dothan, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,120 | $10.63 | $18,985 | $1,582 |
| 25th percentile | $22,670 | $10.90 | $19,410 | $1,618 |
| Median (50th) | $26,020 | $12.51 | $22,001 | $1,833 |
| 75th percentile | $28,240 | $13.58 | $23,719 | $1,977 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $30,410 | $14.62 | $25,359 | $2,113 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $26,020 buys in Dothan, AL
Prices in Dothan, AL are 16.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 53% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $22,001 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,244 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Dothan, AL has 3.3× the national concentration of cooks, fast food jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Dothan, AL ranks #98 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 |
| 98 | Dothan, AL | $26,020 | $22,001 | $26,244 |
*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 Alabama
- Decatur, AL — $28,480
- Tuscaloosa, AL — $28,030
- Florence, AL — $26,820
- Mobile, AL — $27,700
- Huntsville, AL — $29,310
- Auburn, AL — $27,120
- Anniston, AL — $26,410
- Birmingham, AL — $28,320
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Dothan, AL?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Dothan, AL metro area is $26,020 a year, or about $12.51 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,670 and $28,240.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Dothan, AL?
On the median $26,020 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $22,001 a year ($1,833 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,036 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Dothan, AL a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 16% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 16.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,244 would in a typical U.S. city. Dothan, AL ranks #98 of 174 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Dothan, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Dothan, AL is $751 a month ($942 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Dothan, AL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $35,570
- Cooks, Restaurant — $29,710
- Food Preparation Worker — $26,580
- Waiter and Waitress — $24,520
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $22,360