Cooks, Fast Food · Washington

Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Washington

Cooks, Fast Food in Washington earn a median annual wage of $39,120 —26.6% above the national median of $30,890. That ranks WA #4 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$39,120
Median hourly
$18.81
Entry level (P10)
$35,330
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$44,860
90th percentile
Employment
9,020
2.5 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+26.6%
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
$35,330
$36,390
$39,120
$44,050
$35,330$39,120$44,860
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $39,120.

Employment is only 0.62× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Washington.

Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Washington 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 Washington

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Washington.

OccupationWashington medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$37,710$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$56,130$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$46,800$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$59,400$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$40,910$35,320
Bartenders$55,830$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do cooks, fast food make in Washington?

The median annual wage for cooks, fast food in Washington is $39,120, or $18.81 per hour. That is 26.6% above the national median of $30,890.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $35,330 per year ($16.99/hour). The 25th percentile is $36,390.

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

About 9,020 people work in this occupation in Washington, or 2.5 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Washington a good state for cooks, fast food?

Washington ranks #4 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.62x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Washington.

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