Cooks, Fast Food salary in the U.S.
Cooks, Fast Food in the U.S. earn a median of $30,890 a year ($14.85 an hour), based on BLS data for 641,070 workers.
Pay ranges from $22,580 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,910 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $32,390, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,580 | $10.86 |
| 25th percentile | $27,260 | $13.11 |
| Median | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| 75th percentile | $37,260 | $17.92 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,910 | $20.63 |
| Average (mean) | $32,390 | $15.57 |
Half of cooks, fast food earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,574.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,287.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,188.08 |
| Weekly | $594.04 |
| Hourly | $14.85 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Fast Food salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 | n/a |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 | 2,760 |
| California | $42,050 | 124,440 |
| Washington | $39,120 | 9,020 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 | 1,330 |
| Vermont | $38,230 | 640 |
| Oregon | $37,880 | 4,300 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 | n/a |
| Colorado | $36,900 | 9,220 |
| Maine | $36,350 | 1,470 |
| New York | $35,770 | 11,710 |
| Rhode Island | $35,230 | 1,210 |
| Connecticut | $34,980 | 3,630 |
| Illinois | $34,960 | 13,430 |
| Minnesota | $34,120 | 5,190 |
| Alaska | $33,960 | 2,250 |
| Nevada | $33,840 | 5,890 |
| Maryland | $33,320 | 10,960 |
| Arizona | $32,660 | 11,210 |
| New Jersey | $32,220 | 3,440 |
| Delaware | $31,840 | 850 |
| Utah | $31,800 | 4,400 |
| Idaho | $31,070 | 1,610 |
| South Dakota | $30,950 | 1,720 |
| Nebraska | $30,430 | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $30,220 | 580 |
| New Mexico | $30,190 | 1,800 |
| Virginia | $29,950 | 12,520 |
| Florida | $29,900 | 22,600 |
| Missouri | $29,890 | 55,780 |
| Indiana | $29,870 | 6,830 |
| Michigan | $29,460 | 14,340 |
| Wyoming | $28,950 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $28,920 | 6,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,810 | 9,240 |
| Kansas | $28,640 | 1,610 |
| Iowa | $28,510 | 8,290 |
| Tennessee | $28,330 | 14,020 |
| Texas | $28,280 | 36,240 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | 26,740 |
| Oklahoma | $27,720 | 8,860 |
| Arkansas | $27,710 | 7,860 |
| South Carolina | $27,420 | 9,110 |
| North Carolina | $27,190 | 81,980 |
| Georgia | $26,940 | 12,940 |
| Ohio | $26,870 | 12,310 |
| Montana | $26,770 | 820 |
| Louisiana | $24,960 | 3,000 |
| Kentucky | $23,500 | 21,750 |
| West Virginia | $23,120 | 16,490 |
| Mississippi | $22,670 | 11,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,640 | 3,810 |
| Guam | $21,690 | 650 |
Best-paying metro areas for cooks, fast food
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,220 | 4,790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,670 | 10,160 |
| Napa, CA | $45,300 | 370 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,450 | 1,150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,030 | 5,190 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $43,840 | 1,050 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $43,630 | 710 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,120 | 1,100 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $42,700 | 1,430 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,530 | 2,520 |
| Modesto, CA | $42,510 | 1,620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,480 | 16,910 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,450 | 10,630 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,390 | 850 |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,320 | 390 |
Metro areas with the most cooks, fast food
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 48,440 | $38,000 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 17,700 | $30,860 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 16,910 | $42,480 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 15,830 | $27,690 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 13,850 | $30,170 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 11,500 | $28,220 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 10,630 | $42,450 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 10,580 | $35,800 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 10,460 | $35,360 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,410 | $35,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 10,160 | $46,670 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 8,020 | $42,210 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 7,950 | $23,090 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 7,900 | $33,190 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 7,110 | $30,990 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Cooks, All Other | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| Cooks, Private Household | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in the U.S.?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the U.S. is $30,890 a year, or $14.85 an hour. Pay ranges from $22,580 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,910 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the U.S. earn at least $42,910 a year. The top 25% earn $37,260 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $22,580 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $27,260 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in the U.S.?
About 641,070 cooks, fast food are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.