Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Wheeling, WV
Cooks, Fast Food in the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area earn a median $23,110 a year — 25% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $20,090 take-home, or $1,674 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Wheeling, WV. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$701
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,433
- Medicare (1.45%)$335
- West Virginia income tax$551
- Take-home pay$20,090
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 2.96% state
The Wheeling, WV-OH metro spans West Virginia, Ohio. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Wheeling, WV
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,120 | $10.63 | $19,304 | $1,609 |
| 25th percentile | $22,800 | $10.96 | $19,844 | $1,654 |
| Median (50th) | $23,110 | $11.11 | $20,090 | $1,674 |
| 75th percentile | $26,970 | $12.97 | $23,155 | $1,930 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $28,180 | $13.55 | $24,111 | $2,009 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, West Virginia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $23,110 buys in Wheeling, WV
Prices in Wheeling, WV are 11.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 49% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $20,090 take-home pay has the buying power of $22,746 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Wheeling, WV has 3.4× 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
Wheeling, WV ranks #161 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 |
| 161 | Wheeling, WV | $23,110 | $20,090 | $22,746 |
*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 West Virginia
- Weirton, WV — $23,710
- Parkersburg, WV — $22,780
- Charleston, WV — $23,180
- Huntington, WV — $22,610
- Beckley, WV — $22,370
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Wheeling, WV?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area is $23,110 a year, or about $11.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,800 and $26,970.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Wheeling, WV?
On the median $23,110 salary, a single filer living in West Virginia takes home about $20,090 a year ($1,674 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $551 in West Virginia taxes in 2026.
Is Wheeling, WV a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 25% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 11.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $22,746 would in a typical U.S. city. Wheeling, WV ranks #161 of 174 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Wheeling, WV?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Wheeling, WV is $816 a month ($991 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Wheeling, WV
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $34,180
- Waiter and Waitress — $30,740
- Cooks, Restaurant — $29,710
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $26,150