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Fast Food Cook Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Fast Food Cook make? The median Fast Food Cook salary in the US is about $31,765 per year (roughly $15.00 an hour), across 638,250 jobs (Cooks, Fast Food). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $22,670 in Mississippi to $48,120 in Hawaii. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Fast Food Cook salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Hawaii | $48,120 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 | 2,760 |
| California | $42,050 | 124,440 |
| Washington | $39,120 | 9,020 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 | 1,330 |
| Vermont | $38,230 | 640 |
| Oregon | $37,880 | 4,300 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 | 0 |
| Colorado | $36,900 | 9,220 |
| Maine | $36,350 | 1,470 |
| New York | $35,770 | 11,710 |
| Rhode Island | $35,230 | 1,210 |
| Connecticut | $34,980 | 3,630 |
| Illinois | $34,960 | 13,430 |
| Minnesota | $34,120 | 5,190 |
| Alaska | $33,960 | 2,250 |
| Nevada | $33,840 | 5,890 |
| Maryland | $33,320 | 10,960 |
| Arizona | $32,660 | 11,210 |
| New Jersey | $32,220 | 3,440 |
| Delaware | $31,840 | 850 |
| Utah | $31,800 | 4,400 |
| Idaho | $31,070 | 1,610 |
| South Dakota | $30,950 | 1,720 |
| Nebraska | $30,430 | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $30,220 | 580 |
| New Mexico | $30,190 | 1,800 |
| Virginia | $29,950 | 12,520 |
| Florida | $29,900 | 22,600 |
| Missouri | $29,890 | 55,780 |
| Indiana | $29,870 | 6,830 |
| Michigan | $29,460 | 14,340 |
| Wyoming | $28,950 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $28,920 | 6,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,810 | 9,240 |
| Kansas | $28,640 | 1,610 |
| Iowa | $28,510 | 8,290 |
| Tennessee | $28,330 | 14,020 |
| Texas | $28,280 | 36,240 |
| Alabama | $27,870 | 26,740 |
| Oklahoma | $27,720 | 8,860 |
| Arkansas | $27,710 | 7,860 |
| South Carolina | $27,420 | 9,110 |
| North Carolina | $27,190 | 81,980 |
| Georgia | $26,940 | 12,940 |
| Ohio | $26,870 | 12,310 |
| Montana | $26,770 | 820 |
| Louisiana | $24,960 | 3,000 |
| Kentucky | $23,500 | 21,750 |
| West Virginia | $23,120 | 16,490 |
| Mississippi | $22,670 | 11,170 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Fast Food Cook make?
- A Fast Food Cook makes a median of about $31,765 per year in the US (roughly $15.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $22,670 in Mississippi to $48,120 in Hawaii depending on the state.
- What is the average Fast Food Cook salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Fast Food Cook salary in the US is about $31,765 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 638,250 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Fast Food Cooks the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median Fast Food Cook salary at $48,120 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Fast Food Cooks the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $22,670 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Cooks, Fast Food, code 35-2011). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.