Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$22,580
- 25th Percentile — Junior$27,260
- 50th Percentile — Median$30,890
- 75th Percentile — Senior$37,260
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$42,910
The top 10% of Cooks Fast Food earn $42,910 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $22,580, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $43,710 | +34.9% |
| Hawaii | $41,670 | +28.7% |
| California | $41,490 | +28.1% |
| Washington | $41,420 | +27.9% |
| New Hampshire | $40,390 | +24.7% |
| Massachusetts | $40,080 | +23.7% |
| Oregon | $39,310 | +21.4% |
| Colorado | $38,400 | +18.6% |
| Vermont | $37,110 | +14.6% |
| New York | $36,800 | +13.6% |
| Maine | $36,740 | +13.4% |
| Connecticut | $36,360 | +12.3% |
| Delaware | $35,780 | +10.5% |
| Illinois | $35,340 | +9.1% |
| New Jersey | $35,240 | +8.8% |
| Alaska | $34,320 | +6.0% |
| Maryland | $34,260 | +5.8% |
| Utah | $34,230 | +5.7% |
| Nevada | $34,060 | +5.2% |
| Minnesota | $34,010 | +5.0% |
| Rhode Island | $33,960 | +4.8% |
| Arizona | $33,330 | +2.9% |
| Florida | $32,230 | -0.5% |
| New Mexico | $32,010 | -1.2% |
| Virginia | $31,980 | -1.3% |
| Nebraska | $31,910 | -1.5% |
| North Dakota | $31,850 | -1.7% |
| South Dakota | $31,230 | -3.6% |
| Missouri | $30,990 | -4.3% |
| Indiana | $30,720 | -5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $30,580 | -5.6% |
| Michigan | $30,400 | -6.1% |
| Montana | $30,260 | -6.6% |
| Wyoming | $30,030 | -7.3% |
| Texas | $29,680 | -8.4% |
| Tennessee | $29,480 | -9.0% |
| Kansas | $29,460 | -9.0% |
| Wisconsin | $29,310 | -9.5% |
| Idaho | $29,060 | -10.3% |
| Oklahoma | $28,200 | -12.9% |
| South Carolina | $28,080 | -13.3% |
| Ohio | $27,860 | -14.0% |
| Arkansas | $27,770 | -14.3% |
| Iowa | $27,600 | -14.8% |
| Alabama | $27,570 | -14.9% |
| Georgia | $27,560 | -14.9% |
| North Carolina | $27,080 | -16.4% |
| Kentucky | $25,300 | -21.9% |
| Louisiana | $25,130 | -22.4% |
| West Virginia | $24,720 | -23.7% |
| Mississippi | $23,560 | -27.3% |
What Factors Affect Cooks Fast Food Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Cooks Fast Food is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $43,710, while Mississippi pays $23,560 — a gap of $20,150 per year.
The middle half of Cooks Fast Food earn between $27,260 and $37,260 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $22,580, while the top 10% earn more than $42,910.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation $46,180/yr United States +42.6% vs this role
- Cooks Institution and Cafeteria $38,810/yr United States +19.8% vs this role
- Cooks Restaurant $38,730/yr United States +19.6% vs this role
- Bartenders $40,790/yr United States +25.9% vs this role
- Fast Food and Counter Workers $32,150/yr United States 0.7% vs this role
- Waiters and Waitresses $40,060/yr United States +23.7% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +213.1% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +323.9% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Cooks Fast Food?
The average salary for Cooks Fast Food in the United States is $32,390 per year, with a median of $30,890.
What is the starting salary for Cooks Fast Food?
Entry-level Cooks Fast Food typically earn between $22,580 and $27,260 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Cooks Fast Food the most?
District of Columbia pays Cooks Fast Food the most at $43,710 per year on average, followed by Hawaii ($41,670) and California ($41,490).
How much do Cooks Fast Food make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $32,390, Cooks Fast Food earn approximately $15.57 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Cooks Fast Food a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 641,070 Cooks Fast Food jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $32,390 and a median of $30,890 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data