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BLSSalary

Cooks, Fast Food Salary (2025)

Based on 641,070 employed workers · BLS OEWS May 2025

Official BLS Data
Annual Mean
$32,390
$15.57/hr
Annual Median
$30,890
$14.85/hr
Bottom 10%
$22,580
$10.86/hr
Top 10%
$42,910
$20.63/hr

Salary Percentile Breakdown

PercentileAnnual
10th Percentile
Bottom 10%
$22,580
25th Percentile
Lower quarter
$27,260
50th PercentileMedian
Median
$30,890
75th Percentile
Upper quarter
$37,260
90th Percentile
Top 10%
$42,910

Salary Distribution

Annual Salary Range

10th

$23K

25th

$27K

Median

$31K

75th

$37K

90th

$43K

Highest Paying States for Cooks, Fast Food

States with highest average wages · BLS May 2025

StateAnnual Mean
District of Columbia$43,710
Hawaii$41,670
California$41,490
Washington$41,420
New Hampshire$40,390
Massachusetts$40,080
Oregon$39,310
Colorado$38,400
Vermont$37,110
New York$36,800

Geographic Salary Variation

Cooks, Fast Food salaries vary significantly across the United States. The highest paying state is District of Columbia at an average of $43,710 per year, while New York has an average of $36,800 — a difference of $6,910. These geographic differences reflect variations in cost of living, demand, and local labor market conditions.

About Cooks, Fast Food

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 641,070 workers were employed as Cooks, Fast Foods in the United States as of May 2025. This occupation is classified under Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations. The annual mean wage of $32,390 reflects data from employer surveys conducted by BLS.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC Code: 35-2011

What do these percentiles mean? The 10th percentile ($22,580) represents entry-level or part-time Cooks, Fast Foods, while the 90th percentile ($42,910) represents highly experienced professionals or those in high-demand locations. The median ($30,890) is the midpoint — half of all Cooks, Fast Foods earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Data sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025. Public domain. Not affiliated with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.