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Cooks, Fast Food: Pay by State
Nationally, 641,070 people work as cooks, fast food, earning a median of $30,890 a year ($15/hour) — with most between $22,580 and $42,910.
| State | Workers | Median pay | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | — | $48,120 | $23 |
| District of Columbia | 2,760 | $44,670 | $21 |
| California | 124,440 | $42,050 | $20 |
| Washington | 9,020 | $39,120 | $19 |
| New Hampshire | 1,330 | $38,590 | $19 |
| Vermont | 640 | $38,230 | $18 |
| Oregon | 4,300 | $37,880 | $18 |
| Massachusetts | — | $37,870 | $18 |
| Colorado | 9,220 | $36,900 | $18 |
| Maine | 1,470 | $36,350 | $17 |
| New York | 11,710 | $35,770 | $17 |
| Rhode Island | 1,210 | $35,230 | $17 |
| Connecticut | 3,630 | $34,980 | $17 |
| Illinois | 13,430 | $34,960 | $17 |
| Minnesota | 5,190 | $34,120 | $16 |
| Alaska | 2,250 | $33,960 | $16 |
| Nevada | 5,890 | $33,840 | $16 |
| Maryland | 10,960 | $33,320 | $16 |
| Arizona | 11,210 | $32,660 | $16 |
| New Jersey | 3,440 | $32,220 | $15 |
| Delaware | 850 | $31,840 | $15 |
| Utah | 4,400 | $31,800 | $15 |
| Idaho | 1,610 | $31,070 | $15 |
| South Dakota | 1,720 | $30,950 | $15 |
| Nebraska | 2,900 | $30,430 | $15 |
| North Dakota | 580 | $30,220 | $15 |
| New Mexico | 1,800 | $30,190 | $15 |
| Virginia | 12,520 | $29,950 | $14 |
| Florida | 22,600 | $29,900 | $14 |
| Missouri | 55,780 | $29,890 | $14 |
| Indiana | 6,830 | $29,870 | $14 |
| Michigan | 14,340 | $29,460 | $14 |
| Wyoming | 890 | $28,950 | $14 |
| Wisconsin | 6,900 | $28,920 | $14 |
| Pennsylvania | 9,240 | $28,810 | $14 |
| Kansas | 1,610 | $28,640 | $14 |
| Iowa | 8,290 | $28,510 | $14 |
| Tennessee | 14,020 | $28,330 | $14 |
| Texas | 36,240 | $28,280 | $14 |
| Alabama | 26,740 | $27,870 | $13 |
| Oklahoma | 8,860 | $27,720 | $13 |
| Arkansas | 7,860 | $27,710 | $13 |
| South Carolina | 9,110 | $27,420 | $13 |
| North Carolina | 81,980 | $27,190 | $13 |
| Georgia | 12,940 | $26,940 | $13 |
| Ohio | 12,310 | $26,870 | $13 |
| Montana | 820 | $26,770 | $13 |
| Louisiana | 3,000 | $24,960 | $12 |
| Kentucky | 21,750 | $23,500 | $11 |
| West Virginia | 16,490 | $23,120 | $11 |
| Mississippi | 11,170 | $22,670 | $11 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, most recent annual estimate. States are ordered by median pay. Cost of living differs between states — a higher number is not automatically a better deal. Some states are omitted where the estimate is suppressed. Labour-market data, not job listings.