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Salary comparison

Cooks, All Other vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers: Who Earns More?

Cooks, All Other out-earn Fast Food and Counter Workers by $6K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Cooks, All Other land at $37,690 and Fast Food and Counter Workers at $31,200. The education gap is real: cooks, all other programs typically require no formal educational credential, while fast food and counter worker programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Cooks, All Other is Massachusetts ($69,570); for Fast Food and Counter Workers it's California ($42,280).

Cooks, All Other
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median salary
$37,690
$31,200
Hourly rate
$18.12/hr
$15/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$27,040
$22,840
Senior level (90th %)
$51,140
$42,650
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
19,350
3,854,050
Job growth (10-year)
5.5%
6.1%
Category
Food Service
Food Service
Top-paying state
Massachusetts
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Cooks, All Other median pay.

State
Cooks, All Other
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Massachusetts
$69,570
$35,850
Washington
$52,510
$37,710
Nevada
$51,220
$31,950
New Jersey
$46,080
$34,150
Colorado
$43,490
$36,270
New York
$43,000
$35,250
California
$42,860
$42,280
Oregon
$42,020
$35,050
Arizona
$41,740
$34,230
Vermont
$41,250
$36,030
Hawaii
$39,870
$35,250
Connecticut
$37,190
$35,380
Minnesota
$36,850
$31,370
Illinois
$35,940
$33,910
Maryland
$32,150
$33,660

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Cooks, All Other or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Cooks, All Other earn more nationally. The median is $37,690 for Cooks, All Other versus $31,200 for Fast Food and Counter Workers, a difference of $6K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Cooks, All Other or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Fast Food and Counter Workers has the better 10-year outlook at 6.1% projected growth, compared to 5.5% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Cooks, All Other or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Cooks, All Other typically requires no formal educational credential. Fast Food and Counter Workers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Cooks, All Other get paid the most?

Massachusetts is the top-paying state for Cooks, All Other at $69,570/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Cooks, All Other vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Massachusetts, Cooks, All Other earn $69,570 vs. $35,850 for Fast Food and Counter Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Cooks, All Other salary breakdownView →Full Fast Food and Counter Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Cooks, All Other by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Fast Food and Counter Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a cooks, all otherGuide →How to become a fast food and counter workersGuide →