Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

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 this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
513,200 1.8 % $9.89 $20,570 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.10 $8.72 $9.55 $10.83 $12.16
Annual Wage (2) $16,850 $18,140 $19,860 $22,520 $25,290

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 492,050 4.78 $9.85 $20,480
Gasoline Stations 3,820 0.41 $9.64 $20,060
Grocery Stores 2,510 0.09 $10.96 $22,800
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 2,190 0.18 $11.05 $22,990
Amusement Parks and Arcades 1,980 0.99 $11.09 $23,060

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 492,050 4.78 $9.85 $20,480
Amusement Parks and Arcades 1,980 0.99 $11.09 $23,060
Specialty Food Stores 1,580 0.69 $10.46 $21,760
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 1,560 0.41 $10.32 $21,460
Gasoline Stations 3,820 0.41 $9.64 $20,060

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Furniture Stores 140 0.06 $14.50 $30,170
Traveler Accommodation 1,400 0.07 $13.09 $27,230
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 50 0.04 $12.00 $24,960
Management of Companies and Enterprises 80 (7) $11.88 $24,720
Spectator Sports 150 0.11 $11.85 $24,650

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 102,780 6.44 1.76 $11.03 $22,940
Texas 51,680 4.40 1.20 $9.37 $19,480
Georgia 23,160 5.50 1.50 $8.93 $18,570
Illinois 18,980 3.21 0.88 $9.84 $20,470
Arizona 17,540 6.61 1.81 $9.65 $20,080




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho 6,730 10.14 2.77 $8.65 $17,980
Oklahoma 15,520 9.78 2.68 $8.77 $18,250
Mississippi 10,920 9.78 2.67 $8.63 $17,960
South Carolina 14,210 7.18 1.96 $8.67 $18,030
Montana 3,070 6.75 1.85 $9.93 $20,660




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 5,420 1.77 0.48 $12.52 $26,040
Hawaii 2,350 3.72 1.02 $12.43 $25,850
District of Columbia 2,030 2.89 0.79 $12.08 $25,130
Massachusetts 7,080 2.05 0.56 $12.07 $25,110
North Dakota 1,450 3.41 0.93 $11.79 $24,530





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 26,150 6.20 1.69 $10.98 $22,840
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 14,040 10.30 2.82 $10.72 $22,300
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 13,920 5.45 1.49 $8.99 $18,690
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 13,660 7.06 1.93 $9.78 $20,350
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 11,660 1.77 0.48 $10.19 $21,200
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 11,180 7.15 1.96 $11.16 $23,210
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 9,930 3.38 0.93 $9.59 $19,940
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 9,740 4.01 1.10 $9.73 $20,240
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 8,110 2.23 0.61 $10.21 $21,230
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 7,650 5.51 1.51 $11.31 $23,520