Cooks, Fast Food · Missouri

Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Missouri

Cooks, Fast Food in Missouri earn a median annual wage of $29,890 —3.2% below the national median of $30,890. That ranks MO #30 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$29,890
Median hourly
$14.37
Entry level (P10)
$28,600
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$35,290
90th percentile
Employment
55,780
19.0 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-3.2%
U.S. $30,890

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$28,600
$28,790
$29,890
$31,080
$28,600$29,890$35,290
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $29,890.

Employment is 4.61× as concentrated as the national average, making Missouri a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Missouri is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Hawaii$48,120$23.14——
2District of Columbia$44,670$21.482,7600.96
3California$42,050$20.21124,4401.66
4Washington$39,120$18.819,0200.62
5New Hampshire$38,590$18.551,3300.47
6Vermont$38,230$18.386400.51
7Oregon$37,880$18.214,3000.53
8Massachusetts$37,870$18.21——
9Colorado$36,900$17.749,2200.78
10Maine$36,350$17.481,4700.56

Related occupations in Missouri

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Missouri.

OccupationMissouri medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$30,390$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$29,400$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$36,940$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$37,400$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$31,510$35,320
Bartenders$30,090$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do cooks, fast food make in Missouri?

The median annual wage for cooks, fast food in Missouri is $29,890, or $14.37 per hour. That is 3.2% below the national median of $30,890.

What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Missouri?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $28,600 per year ($13.75/hour). The 25th percentile is $28,790.

How many people work as cooks, fast food in Missouri?

About 55,780 people work in this occupation in Missouri, or 19.0 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Missouri a good state for cooks, fast food?

Missouri ranks #30 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 4.61x as concentrated as the national average, making Missouri a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays cooks, fast food the most?

Hawaii has the highest median wage at $48,120 per year, followed by District of Columbia ($44,670) and California ($42,050).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes