Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Seattle, WA
Cooks, Fast Food in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $44,030 a year — 43% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,558 take-home, or $3,130 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,104
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,730
- Medicare (1.45%)$638
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$37,558
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,330 | $16.99 | $30,568 | $2,547 |
| 25th percentile | $38,280 | $18.40 | $32,938 | $2,745 |
| Median (50th) | $44,030 | $21.17 | $37,558 | $3,130 |
| 75th percentile | $44,390 | $21.34 | $37,847 | $3,154 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,140 | $23.14 | $40,860 | $3,405 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,030 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $37,558 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,796 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 Seattle, WA than nationally (location quotient 0.60), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Seattle, WA ranks #4 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 →
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 Seattle, WA?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $44,030 a year, or about $21.17 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,280 and $44,390.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $44,030 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $37,558 a year ($3,130 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 43% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,796 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #4 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 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 Seattle, WA
- Chef and Head Cook — $80,330
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $61,610
- Bartender — $58,180
- Waiter and Waitress — $57,280
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $51,530
- Cooks, Restaurant — $47,730
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $45,120
- Food Preparation Worker — $43,830
- Dishwasher — $42,750
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $40,640
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $39,150
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $38,430