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Cooks, Fast Food

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Home › Food Preparation and Serving › Cooks, Fast Food › Alabama
Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, Alabama
$28,500 / year
≈ $2,400 per month · $13.70 per hour

BLS May 2025 state data for Alabama · median $29,000
25th percentile
$24,500Average
$28,50075th percentile
$30,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Cooks, Fast Food salary by state
Alabama$28,500
Alaska$35,500
Arizona$34,500
Arkansas$28,500
California$43,000
Colorado$39,500
Connecticut$37,500
Delaware$37,000
District of Columbia$45,000
Florida$33,500
Georgia$28,500
Hawaii$43,000
Idaho$30,000
Illinois$36,500
Indiana$32,000
Iowa$28,500
Kansas$30,500
Kentucky$26,000
Louisiana$26,000
Maine$38,000
Maryland$35,500
Massachusetts$41,500
Michigan$31,500
Minnesota$35,000
Mississippi$24,500
Missouri$32,000
Montana$31,500
Nebraska$33,000
Nevada$35,500
New Hampshire$42,000
New Jersey$36,500
New Mexico$33,000
New York$38,000
North Carolina$28,000
North Dakota$33,000
Ohio$29,000
Oklahoma$29,000
Oregon$40,500
Pennsylvania$31,500
Rhode Island$35,000
South Carolina$29,000
South Dakota$32,500
Tennessee$30,500
Texas$30,500
Utah$35,500
Vermont$38,500
Virginia$33,000
Washington$43,000
West Virginia$25,500
Wisconsin$30,500
Wyoming$31,000

Total cash compensation

Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.

Base salary
$33,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$2,500
6.8% of base
Total target cash
$36,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles: 25th $1,500 50th $2,500 75th $4,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role

Cooks, Fast Food is a professional role within the function in the Food Preparation and Serving job family.

Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Cooks, Fast Foods do

Typical education: High School Diploma

  • Order and take delivery of supplies.
  • Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
  • Prepare specialty foods, such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, or tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment, such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
  • Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.

Top skills: Service Orientation Active Listening Speaking Social Perceptiveness Coordination Reading Comprehension

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience level
Entry level$23,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$28,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$32,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$38,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$44,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-13.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
82,100
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Cooks, Fast Food salary by industry
Food Services and Drinking Places

620,270 workers

$33,500

Restaurants and Other Eating Places

615,170 workers

$33,500

Food and Beverage Retailers

9,420 workers

$38,500

Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)

8,900 workers

$38,500

Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers

5,440 workers

$30,000

Gasoline Stations

5,420 workers

$30,000

Special Food Services

4,140 workers

$43,000

Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries

1,950 workers

$36,500

Other Amusement and Recreation Industries

1,220 workers

$35,000

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)

970 workers

$34,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status

Core duties

  • Order and take delivery of supplies.
  • Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
  • Prepare specialty foods, such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, or tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment, such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
  • Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.

FLSA classification (typical)

Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work

Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.

How this role compares

Cooks, Fast Food pays 17% below the average across 18 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $40,500).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving
Barista$33,500
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,500
Food Preparation Worker$36,500
Cooks, Short Order$37,500
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000
Cooks, Restaurant$40,000
Cooks, All Other$40,500
Waiters and Waitresses$41,500
Bartender$42,000
Careers related to Cooks, Fast Food
Cooks, Short Order$37,500
Cooks, Restaurant$40,000
Food Preparation Worker$36,500
Baker$40,000
Barista$33,500
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$40,000
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions

How much does a Cooks, Fast Food make?

The average base salary for a Cooks, Fast Food in the United States is $33,500 per year, or about $16.11 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $28,500 and $38,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $40,500 across 18 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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