Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Washington, DC
Cooks, Fast Food in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $35,800 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,963 take-home, or $2,497 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,116
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,220
- Medicare (1.45%)$519
- District of Columbia income tax$982
- Take-home pay$29,963
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $26,543 | $2,212 |
| 25th percentile | $33,520 | $16.12 | $28,268 | $2,356 |
| Median (50th) | $35,800 | $17.21 | $29,963 | $2,497 |
| 75th percentile | $40,310 | $19.38 | $33,316 | $2,776 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,000 | $22.60 | $38,291 | $3,191 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,800 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $29,963 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,519 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 about as common in Washington, DC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #23 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 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | $35,800 | $29,963 | $27,519 |
*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 Washington, DC?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $35,800 a year, or about $17.21 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $33,520 and $40,310.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $35,800 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $29,963 a year ($2,497 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $982 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,519 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #23 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 80% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Washington, DC
- Chef and Head Cook — $74,900
- Bartender — $48,030
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $47,580
- Waiter and Waitress — $46,040
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $44,880
- Cooks, Restaurant — $42,920
- Cooks, Short Order — $39,650
- Food Preparation Worker — $37,630
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $37,540
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $37,260
- Dishwasher — $37,010
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $36,360