Cooks, Fast Food earn a median of $30,890 per year ($14.85/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 0.6% through 2035, with about 86,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 35-2011
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Cook, Fast Food in four numbers
- Median pay
- $30,890a year, or $14.85/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $23KTop 10% $43K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +0.6%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+0.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +0.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 86,400640,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025640.5K
- Projected 2035644.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 640.5K Projected 2035 644.1K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Cook, Cook Line Worker, Fast Food Cook, Food Cook, Fry Cook, Fryer.
Pay
How much do cooks make?
Cooks, Fast Food earn a median of $30,890 a year ($14.85 an hour, or about $2,570 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $22,580 and the top 10% more than $42,910 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Hawaii, with a median of $48,120. See Cook, fast food salary in Hawaii and every other state. By city, pay is highest around San Francisco ($46,590 average): salary in every city.
Every cook, fast food in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$30,890
Middle half earn $27,260 to $37,260
- 10th
- $22,580
- 25th
- $27,260
- 75th
- $37,260
- 90th
- $42,910
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $22,580 |
| 25th | $27,260 |
| Median | $30,890 |
| 75th | $37,260 |
| 90th | $42,910 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $30,890
- Median hourly wage
- $14.85/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $32,390
- People employed
- 641,070
Versus all US occupations
At $30,890, Cooks, Fast Food earn 39% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $20,090 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
Inside the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,360, this is 13% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $42,910 or more while the bottom 10% earn $22,580, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 0% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $48,120, and still leads at $43,765 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay cooks the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $48,120 | $43,765 | N/A |
| 2District of Columbia | $44,670 | $40,646 | 2,760 |
| 3California | $42,050 | $37,979 | 124,440 |
| 4Washington | $39,120 | $36,556 | 9,020 |
| 5New Hampshire | $38,590 | $37,047 | 1,330 |
| 6Vermont | $38,230 | $39,027 | 640 |
| 7Oregon | $37,880 | $36,648 | 4,300 |
| 8Massachusetts | $37,870 | $35,809 | N/A |
| 9Colorado | $36,900 | $35,807 | 9,220 |
| 10Maine | $36,350 | $37,455 | 1,470 |
Job outlook
Is cook, fast food a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +0.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | +0.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Cooks, Fast Food to change 0.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 86,400 openings are projected each year, 13.5% of the 640,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of cooks varies by occupation (see table).
Population and income growth are expected to result in greater consumer demand for food at a variety of dining places. People will continue to eat out, buy takeout meals, or have food delivered. New restaurants, cafeterias, and catering services are expected to open, requiring more cooks to prepare meals for this increased consumer demand.
AI exposure: moderate
BLS places this occupation in its moderate relative AI exposure category, below the middle of the pack: some of the work overlaps with what AI can do, much of it does not.
Getting in
How to become a cook, fast food
Most cooks learn their skills through on-the-job training and work-related experience. Although no formal education is typically required, some cooks attend culinary schools. Others attend vocational or apprenticeship programs.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a cook, fast food do?
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.
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.
Day-to-day tasks
- Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
- Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
- Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
- Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
- Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
- Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
- Take out garbage.
- Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most cooks work full time, although part-time work is common. Work schedules vary and may include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. In school cafeterias and some institutional cafeterias, cooks usually have more regular hours.
Cooks who are employed in schools may work only during the school year, typically for 9 or 10 months. Similarly, cooks who are employed in some resort establishments work only for seasonal operation.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Critical Thinking2.6
- Monitoring2.6
- Writing2.1
- Active Learning2.0
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.6 |
| Monitoring | 2.6 |
| Writing | 2.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.1
- Coordination2.8
- Social Perceptiveness2.5
- Time Management2.5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.4
- Operations Monitoring2.3
- Persuasion2.1
- Instructing2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.5 |
| Time Management | 2.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.4 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.3 |
| Persuasion | 2.1 |
| Instructing | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a cook, fast food?
Women make up 43.7% of cooks, fast food, close to their 47.1% share of all employed people.
Only 16.9% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 29.8% under 25.
The median worker is 34.7 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 43.7%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 34.7All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 16.9%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 2,099,000Cooks · BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of cooks, fast food | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 43.7% | 47.1% |
| White | 71.4% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 17.3% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 5.6% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 39.2% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 16.9% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 29.8% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%. CPS reports this occupation only within the wider Census group “Cooks”, so these figures are for that group.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a cook, fast food?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Cook, Fast Food |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.3
- Conventional4.3
- Enterprising3.4
- Social2.4
- Artistic1.9
- Investigative1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Cook, Fast Food
O*NET related occupations
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Production
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
More food preparation and serving related careers
Median annual pay, with cooks, fast food highlighted
- Chef$62,470
- Food Preparation Worker$35,320
- Server$35,230
- Bartender$34,340
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper$33,980
- Barista$31,200
- Fast Food and Counter Worker$31,200
- Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$31,200
- Cook, Fast Food$30,890
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chef | $62,470 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 |
| Server | $35,230 |
| Bartender | $34,340 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper | $33,980 |
| Barista | $31,200 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $31,200 |
| Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 |
| Cook, Fast Food | $30,890 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Cook, Fast Food appears on
Questions
Cook, Fast Food: frequently asked questions
How much do cooks make?
Cooks, Fast Food earn a median of $30,890 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 39% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $14.85/hr. The middle half earn between $27,260 and $37,260. The top 10% earn $42,910 or more.
How much do cooks make an hour?
The median hourly wage for cooks, fast food is $14.85 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $30,890 annual median works out to about $2,570 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a cook, fast food?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of cooks, fast food earn less than $22,580 a year and the bottom quarter less than $27,260 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Which states pay cooks the most?
The highest state medians for Cooks, Fast Food are Hawaii ($48,120), District of Columbia ($44,670), California ($42,050) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What kind of cook, fast food earns the most?
BLS does not split cooks, fast food' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $42,910, against a median of $30,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Hawaii ($48,120), District of Columbia ($44,670), California ($42,050).
Do you need a degree to become a cook, fast food?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Cooks, Fast Food, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as some preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
How long does it take to become a cook, fast food?
BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for cooks is no formal educational credential. Once hired, BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical. O*NET classes the work as needing some preparation.
Is cook, fast food a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 0.6% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 86,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a cook, fast food do?
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. A core O*NET task: maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Do cooks work 40 hours a week?
Most work fewer than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 4% of cooks, fast food usually work more than 40 hours a week, 39% work exactly 40 and 57% work fewer. 82% say their schedule is regular and 18% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a cook, fast food?
O*NET scores Cooks, Fast Food highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
What percentage of cooks are women?
Women make up 43.7% of cooks, fast food, close to their 47.1% share of all employed people. Only 16.9% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 29.8% under 25. The median worker is 34.7 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages, for the Census group "Cooks".