SOC 352011

Cooks, Fast Food

Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

National Median

$30,160

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$30,160

Entry Level (10th pct)

$22,370

Experienced (90th pct)

$38,980

Total Employed

668,230

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$22,370 - $26,540
Mid Career2-8 years experience$26,540 - $35,710
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$35,710 - $38,980

Highest Paying Locations for Cooks, Fast Food

Cooks, Fast Food Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$41,98010,540
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$41,8004,560
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$40,5802,580
Hawaii$40,300830
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$39,2601,120
Napa, CA$39,210360
Vallejo, CA$39,1101,250
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$38,8304,380
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area$38,63080
District of Columbia$38,3502,610
Urban Honolulu, HI$38,250640
Burlington-South Burlington, VT$38,040640
Salinas, CA$37,9601,040
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$37,7303,940
Carson City, NV$37,700120
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$37,670780
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$37,360180
Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area$37,330280
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$37,250940
New Hampshire$37,2202,280
Massachusetts$37,1005,140
Vermont$37,0501,060
Barnstable Town, MA$37,020210
Manchester-Nashua, NH$37,020840
Oregon$37,0204,360
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$37,0101,610
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area$36,900350
Yuba City, CA$36,820440
Washington$36,8008,630
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area$36,780230
Redding, CA$36,780490
Boulder, CO$36,760490
Modesto, CA$36,6501,700
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area$36,430630
California$36,410136,550
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$36,3901,000
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$36,3807,840
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$36,36055,760
Bangor, ME$36,230210
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area$36,200410
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$36,190580
Chico, CA$36,060630
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$36,0502,770
Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area$35,970250
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area$35,970450
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area$35,970190
Merced, CA$35,960830
Fairbanks-College, AK$35,950530
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$35,890340
Visalia, CA$35,8801,530

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Cooks, Fast Food?
The national median annual salary for Cooks, Fast Food is $30,160, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Cooks, Fast Foods earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Cooks, Fast Foods is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, with a median salary of $41,980.
How much can an experienced Cooks, Fast Food make?
Top-earning Cooks, Fast Foods (90th percentile) make $38,980 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.