Cooks, Fast Food Salary — US State Breakdown (2025)
BLS OES May 2025 · SOC 35-2011$30,890
US median (annual)
$32,390
US mean (annual)
$22,580
10th percentile
$42,910
90th percentile
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US Salary Overview
The national median wage for cooks, fast food in the United States is $30,890 per year (gross, before tax), based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Around 641,000 people are employed in this occupation nationally. UK data is not available for this occupation — the UK's SOC 2020 classification has no direct equivalent. Before interviews, many candidates work through interview preparation guides for this kind of role.
US Salary Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual (gross) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22,580 | Entry level / lowest decile |
| 25th | $27,260 | Early career |
| 50th (median) | $30,890 | Typical pay |
| 75th | $37,260 | Experienced |
| 90th | $42,910 | Senior / highest decile |
Career Essentials
Median Salary by State
| State | Median salary | Mean salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 | $41,670 | — |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 | $43,710 | 3,000 |
| California | $42,050 | $41,490 | 124,000 |
| Washington | $39,120 | $41,420 | 9,000 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 | $40,390 | 1,000 |
| Vermont | $38,230 | $37,110 | 640 |
| Oregon | $37,880 | $39,310 | 4,000 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 | $40,080 | — |
| Colorado | $36,900 | $38,400 | 9,000 |
| Maine | $36,350 | $36,740 | 1,000 |
| New York | $35,770 | $36,800 | 12,000 |
| Rhode Island | $35,230 | $33,960 | 1,000 |
| Connecticut | $34,980 | $36,360 | 4,000 |
| Illinois | $34,960 | $35,340 | 13,000 |
| Minnesota | $34,120 | $34,010 | 5,000 |
| Alaska | $33,960 | $34,320 | 2,000 |
| Nevada | $33,840 | $34,060 | 6,000 |
| Maryland | $33,320 | $34,260 | 11,000 |
| Arizona | $32,660 | $33,330 | 11,000 |
| New Jersey | $32,220 | $35,240 | 3,000 |
| Delaware | $31,840 | $35,780 | 850 |
| Utah | $31,800 | $34,230 | 4,000 |
| Idaho | $31,070 | $29,060 | 2,000 |
| South Dakota | $30,950 | $31,230 | 2,000 |
| Nebraska | $30,430 | $31,910 | 3,000 |
| North Dakota | $30,220 | $31,850 | 580 |
| New Mexico | $30,190 | $32,010 | 2,000 |
| Virginia | $29,950 | $31,980 | 13,000 |
| Florida | $29,900 | $32,230 | 23,000 |
| Missouri | $29,890 | $30,990 | 56,000 |
| Indiana | $29,870 | $30,720 | 7,000 |
| Michigan | $29,460 | $30,400 | 14,000 |
| Wyoming | $28,950 | $30,030 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $28,920 | $29,310 | 7,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,810 | $30,580 | 9,000 |
| Kansas | $28,640 | $29,460 | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $28,510 | $27,600 | 8,000 |
| Tennessee | $28,330 | $29,480 | 14,000 |
| Texas | $28,280 | $29,680 | 36,000 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | $27,570 | 27,000 |
| Oklahoma | $27,720 | $28,200 | 9,000 |
| Arkansas | $27,710 | $27,770 | 8,000 |
| South Carolina | $27,420 | $28,080 | 9,000 |
| North Carolina | $27,190 | $27,080 | 82,000 |
| Georgia | $26,940 | $27,560 | 13,000 |
| Ohio | $26,870 | $27,860 | 12,000 |
| Montana | $26,770 | $30,260 | 820 |
| Louisiana | $24,960 | $25,130 | 3,000 |
| Kentucky | $23,500 | $25,300 | 22,000 |
| West Virginia | $23,120 | $24,720 | 16,000 |
| Mississippi | $22,670 | $23,560 | 11,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,640 | $25,130 | 4,000 |
| Guam | $21,690 | $21,800 | 650 |
Salary data is sourced from BLS OES May 2025. Figures represent gross pay before tax. This page is for reference only.
Recommended Gear & Prep
Negotiating the offer? A salary negotiation guide helps you anchor to the percentiles above.
Data: BLS OES, May 2025 · Page built 2026-07-18