Cooks, Fast Food salary
Cooks, Fast Food earn a median of $30,890 a year ($14.85/hr) in the U.S. – from $22,640 in Puerto Rico to $48,120 in Hawaii. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$14.85/hr · $30,890 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$22,580$10.86/hr
75% earn more$27,260$13.11/hr
half earn more, half less$30,890$14.85/hr
25% earn more$37,260$17.92/hr
top 10% earn more$42,910$20.63/hr
pulled up by top earners$32,390$15.57/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for cooks, fast food. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
jobs n/a · $23.14/hr$48,120
2,760 jobs · $21.48/hr$44,670
124,440 jobs · $20.21/hr$42,050
9,020 jobs · $18.81/hr$39,120
1,330 jobs · $18.55/hr$38,590
640 jobs · $18.38/hr$38,230
4,300 jobs · $18.21/hr$37,880
jobs n/a · $18.21/hr$37,870
9,220 jobs · $17.74/hr$36,900
1,470 jobs · $17.48/hr$36,350
11,710 jobs · $17.20/hr$35,770
1,210 jobs · $16.94/hr$35,230
3,630 jobs · $16.82/hr$34,980
13,430 jobs · $16.81/hr$34,960
5,190 jobs · $16.41/hr$34,120
2,250 jobs · $16.33/hr$33,960
5,890 jobs · $16.27/hr$33,840
10,960 jobs · $16.02/hr$33,320
11,210 jobs · $15.70/hr$32,660
3,440 jobs · $15.49/hr$32,220
850 jobs · $15.31/hr$31,840
4,400 jobs · $15.29/hr$31,800
1,610 jobs · $14.94/hr$31,070
1,720 jobs · $14.88/hr$30,950
2,900 jobs · $14.63/hr$30,430
580 jobs · $14.53/hr$30,220
1,800 jobs · $14.52/hr$30,190
12,520 jobs · $14.40/hr$29,950
22,600 jobs · $14.37/hr$29,900
55,780 jobs · $14.37/hr$29,890
6,830 jobs · $14.36/hr$29,870
14,340 jobs · $14.17/hr$29,460
890 jobs · $13.92/hr$28,950
6,900 jobs · $13.90/hr$28,920
9,240 jobs · $13.85/hr$28,810
1,610 jobs · $13.77/hr$28,640
8,290 jobs · $13.71/hr$28,510
14,020 jobs · $13.62/hr$28,330
36,240 jobs · $13.60/hr$28,280
26,740 jobs · $13.40/hr$27,870
8,860 jobs · $13.33/hr$27,720
7,860 jobs · $13.32/hr$27,710
9,110 jobs · $13.18/hr$27,420
81,980 jobs · $13.07/hr$27,190
12,940 jobs · $12.95/hr$26,940
12,310 jobs · $12.92/hr$26,870
820 jobs · $12.87/hr$26,770
3,000 jobs · $12.00/hr$24,960
21,750 jobs · $11.30/hr$23,500
16,490 jobs · $11.12/hr$23,120
11,170 jobs · $10.90/hr$22,670
3,810 jobs · $10.88/hr$22,640
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 35-2011. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do cooks, fast food make?
The median wage for cooks, fast food in the U.S. was $14.85 an hour or $30,890 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $27,260 and $37,260 a year.
Which state pays cooks, fast food the most?
Hawaii has the highest median wage for cooks, fast food: $48,120 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $22,640. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many cooks, fast food are there?
BLS estimates 641,070 cooks, fast food were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.