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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

35-2011 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 estimates for Cooks, Fast Food
Industry profile for Cooks, Fast Food
Geographic profile for Cooks, Fast Food

National estimates for Cooks, Fast Food:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Cooks, Fast Food:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
725,590 1.7 % $ 13.43 $ 27,920 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cooks, Fast Food:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 9.94 $ 10.84 $ 13.29 $ 15.37 $ 17.21
Annual Wage (2) $ 20,680 $ 22,550 $ 27,640 $ 31,970 $ 35,800


Industry profile for Cooks, Fast Food:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Cooks, Fast Food are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Cooks, Fast Food, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Cooks, Fast Food:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 703,000 6.75 $ 13.39 $ 27,840
Gasoline Stations 6,310 0.67 $ 13.12 $ 27,280
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) 4,290 0.14 $ 14.48 $ 30,120
Special Food Services 4,070 0.64 $ 15.73 $ 32,710
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,830 0.15 $ 14.76 $ 30,690

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Cooks, Fast Food:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 703,000 6.75 $ 13.39 $ 27,840
Gasoline Stations 6,310 0.67 $ 13.12 $ 27,280
Special Food Services 4,070 0.64 $ 15.73 $ 32,710
Amusement Parks and Arcades 360 0.18 $ 15.31 $ 31,840
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,830 0.15 $ 14.76 $ 30,690

Top paying industries for Cooks, Fast Food:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Traveler Accommodation 570 0.03 $ 18.76 $ 39,020
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 290 0.03 $ 18.67 $ 38,830
Beverage Manufacturing 330 0.11 $ 18.41 $ 38,290
Management of Companies and Enterprises (8) (8) $ 16.47 $ 34,250
Special Food Services 4,070 0.64 $ 15.73 $ 32,710


Geographic profile for Cooks, Fast Food:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Cooks, Fast Food are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Cooks, Fast Food, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of cooks, fast food by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Cooks, Fast Food:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 146,250 8.29 1.69 $ 16.61 $ 34,550
North Carolina 87,610 18.85 3.84 $ 11.29 $ 23,490
Kentucky 42,480 22.37 4.56 $ 10.99 $ 22,870
Florida 38,630 4.19 0.85 $ 12.75 $ 26,520
Tennessee 31,490 10.09 2.06 $ 11.78 $ 24,500


Map of location quotient of cooks, fast food by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Fast Food:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kentucky 42,480 22.37 4.56 $ 10.99 $ 22,870
North Carolina 87,610 18.85 3.84 $ 11.29 $ 23,490
West Virginia 11,710 17.26 3.52 $ 10.49 $ 21,820
Missouri 30,510 10.82 2.21 $ 13.00 $ 27,030
Tennessee 31,490 10.09 2.06 $ 11.78 $ 24,500


Map of annual mean wages of cooks, fast food by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Cooks, Fast Food:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,600 2.31 0.47 $ 20.01 $ 41,620
Massachusetts 5,140 1.44 0.29 $ 17.54 $ 36,480
Washington 7,340 2.15 0.44 $ 17.01 $ 35,380
California 146,250 8.29 1.69 $ 16.61 $ 34,550
Hawaii 1,040 1.76 0.36 $ 16.50 $ 34,310



Map of employment of cooks, fast food by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Cooks, Fast Food:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 54,580 8.95 1.82 $ 16.89 $ 35,130
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 21,220 2.31 0.47 $ 16.75 $ 34,850
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 17,840 10.93 2.23 $ 15.59 $ 32,420
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 17,590 13.85 2.82 $ 12.14 $ 25,250
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 14,320 9.61 1.96 $ 16.61 $ 34,560
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 12,230 5.11 1.04 $ 18.05 $ 37,550
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 12,210 5.50 1.12 $ 15.11 $ 31,420
Raleigh, NC 11,570 17.22 3.51 $ 11.41 $ 23,730
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,540 2.61 0.53 $ 13.99 $ 29,090
St. Louis, MO-IL 10,510 8.03 1.64 $ 13.68 $ 28,450


Map of location quotient of cooks, fast food by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Fast Food:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Jacksonville, NC 1,920 38.52 7.85 $ 10.39 $ 21,620
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY 1,630 31.39 6.40 $ 10.64 $ 22,130
Fayetteville, NC 4,020 31.21 6.36 $ 10.75 $ 22,370
Greenville, NC 2,080 26.66 5.43 $ 10.92 $ 22,710
Goldsboro, NC 1,040 26.23 5.35 $ 10.53 $ 21,900
New Bern, NC 1,140 25.50 5.20 $ 10.82 $ 22,510
Bowling Green, KY 1,790 23.87 4.86 $ 10.66 $ 22,170
Burlington, NC 1,530 23.73 4.84 $ 11.50 $ 23,920
Rocky Mount, NC 1,280 23.71 4.83 $ 10.85 $ 22,560
Beckley, WV 950 23.40 4.77 $ 9.95 $ 20,700


Map of annual mean wages of cooks, fast food by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Cooks, Fast Food:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,310 4.72 0.96 $ 18.59 $ 38,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 12,230 5.11 1.04 $ 18.05 $ 37,550
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,940 1.46 0.30 $ 17.98 $ 37,400
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,680 1.81 0.37 $ 17.90 $ 37,240
Napa, CA 410 5.53 1.13 $ 17.52 $ 36,440
Santa Rosa, CA 1,180 5.79 1.18 $ 17.25 $ 35,880
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 140 2.87 0.59 $ 17.19 $ 35,750
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 1,500 10.88 2.22 $ 16.91 $ 35,180
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 54,580 8.95 1.82 $ 16.89 $ 35,130
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 21,220 2.31 0.47 $ 16.75 $ 34,850

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Cooks, Fast Food:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 7,040 28.79 5.87 $ 10.50 $ 21,830
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 6,030 24.10 4.91 $ 10.60 $ 22,050
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 4,920 27.47 5.60 $ 10.31 $ 21,450
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 4,650 28.12 5.73 $ 10.27 $ 21,360
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 3,900 26.53 5.41 $ 10.43 $ 21,690

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cooks, Fast Food:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 2,830 28.89 5.89 $ 10.12 $ 21,050
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 7,040 28.79 5.87 $ 10.50 $ 21,830
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 4,650 28.12 5.73 $ 10.27 $ 21,360
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 4,920 27.47 5.60 $ 10.31 $ 21,450
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 3,900 26.53 5.41 $ 10.43 $ 21,690

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Cooks, Fast Food:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 150 1.49 0.30 $ 17.67 $ 36,760
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 180 2.90 0.59 $ 17.16 $ 35,690
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 280 2.82 0.58 $ 16.01 $ 33,290
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 270 2.17 0.44 $ 15.96 $ 33,210
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 540 8.83 1.80 $ 15.91 $ 33,090


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023