Cooks, Fast Food salary in Texas
Cooks, Fast Food in Texas earn a median of $28,280 a year ($13.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 36,240 workers.
Pay ranges from $20,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $39,140 for the top 10%. That is 8% lower than the national median of $30,890. Texas ranks 39th of 51 states for cooks, fast food pay. There are 2.6 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.62). The average (mean) salary is $29,680, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in Texas
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $20,800 | $10.00 |
| 25th percentile | $23,090 | $11.10 |
| Median | $28,280 | $13.60 |
| 75th percentile | $36,450 | $17.52 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,140 | $18.82 |
| Average (mean) | $29,680 | $14.27 |
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 | $2,356.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,178.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,087.69 |
| Weekly | $543.85 |
| Hourly | $13.60 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in cities in Texas
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $38,560 | 4,540 |
| Midland, TX | $31,240 | 300 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $30,110 | 4,470 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $30,010 | 6,490 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $29,230 | 590 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $29,020 | 510 |
| Longview, TX | $28,990 | 540 |
| Odessa, TX | $27,520 | 210 |
| Waco, TX | $27,470 | 500 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $26,740 | 1,040 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $26,660 | 190 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $26,610 | 420 |
| Amarillo, TX | $26,100 | 440 |
| Abilene, TX | $25,780 | 280 |
| Lubbock, TX | $25,500 | 590 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $25,050 | 490 |
| San Angelo, TX | $24,960 | n/a |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $24,500 | 230 |
| El Paso, TX | $24,390 | 1,140 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $23,090 | 7,950 |
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 |
Related jobs in Texas
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $34,760 | $16.71 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,650 | $14.74 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $25,320 | $12.18 |
| Cooks, All Other | $32,150 | $15.46 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,740 | $13.34 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $23,240 | $11.18 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $21,550 | $10.36 |
| Bartender | $22,690 | $10.91 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| Dishwasher | $29,610 | $14.23 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $29,300 | $14.09 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $56,080 | $26.96 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Texas
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 Texas?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in Texas is $28,280 a year, or $13.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $20,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $39,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in Texas?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in Texas earn at least $39,140 a year. The top 25% earn $36,450 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in Texas?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $20,800 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $23,090 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in Texas?
About 36,240 cooks, fast food are employed in Texas, not counting the self-employed.