Cooks, Fast Food salary in Fresno, CA
Cooks, Fast Food in the Fresno, CA metro area earn a median of $39,620 a year ($19.05 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,910 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,320 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,350 for the top 10%. That is 28% higher than the national median of $30,890. Pay here is 6% lower than the California statewide median of $42,050. There are 8.2 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.0× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $39,650, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in Fresno, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| 25th percentile | $34,670 | $16.67 |
| Median | $39,620 | $19.05 |
| 75th percentile | $42,360 | $20.37 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,350 | $23.25 |
| Average (mean) | $39,650 | $19.06 |
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 | $3,301.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,650.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,523.85 |
| Weekly | $761.92 |
| Hourly | $19.05 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other metro areas nearby
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $42,210 | 8,020 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $41,600 | 2,260 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $41,480 | 2,450 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $41,280 | 450 |
| Merced, CA | $40,430 | 660 |
| Chico, CA | $40,340 | 580 |
| El Centro, CA | $40,230 | 330 |
| Redding, CA | $39,920 | 470 |
| Visalia, CA | $39,750 | 1,410 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $38,000 | 48,440 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| California | $42,050 |
| Washington | $39,120 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| Vermont | $38,230 |
| Oregon | $37,880 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 |
| Colorado | $36,900 |
| Maine | $36,350 |
See Cooks, Fast Food pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Fresno, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $38,260 | $18.40 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $37,730 | $18.14 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $38,280 | $18.41 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $42,580 | $20.47 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $39,480 | $18.98 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,730 | $21.51 |
| Dishwasher | $35,110 | $16.88 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Bartender | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $36,770 | $17.68 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $37,760 | $18.15 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $61,870 | $29.75 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Fresno, CA
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 Fresno, CA?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the Fresno, CA metro area is $39,620 a year, or $19.05 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,320 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,350 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in Fresno, CA?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the Fresno, CA metro area earn at least $48,350 a year. The top 25% earn $42,360 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in Fresno, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,320 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $34,670 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in Fresno, CA?
About 3,910 cooks, fast food are employed in the Fresno, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.