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Salary comparison

Cooks, Short Order vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers: Who Earns More?

Cooks, Short Order out-earn Fast Food and Counter Workers by $5K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Cooks, Short Order land at $35,880 and Fast Food and Counter Workers at $31,200. The education gap is real: cooks, short order programs typically require no formal educational credential, while fast food and counter worker programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Cooks, Short Order is Arizona ($46,630); for Fast Food and Counter Workers it's California ($42,280).

Cooks, Short Order
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median salary
$35,880
$31,200
Hourly rate
$17.25/hr
$15/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$23,440
$22,840
Senior level (90th %)
$46,460
$42,650
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
138,650
3,854,050
Job growth (10-year)
-5.6%
6.1%
Category
Food Service
Food Service
Top-paying state
Arizona
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Cooks, Short Order median pay.

State
Cooks, Short Order
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Arizona
$46,630
$34,230
Massachusetts
$44,290
$35,850
Hawaii
$43,110
$35,250
California
$42,930
$42,280
Washington
$42,760
$37,710
District of Columbia
$42,450
$37,430
Colorado
$42,450
$36,270
Connecticut
$42,450
$35,380
New Jersey
$40,720
$34,150
Vermont
$38,830
$36,030
Oregon
$38,550
$35,050
Illinois
$37,440
$33,910
Maryland
$36,800
$33,660
New York
$35,550
$35,250
Maine
$35,360
$34,710

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Cooks, Short Order or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Cooks, Short Order earn more nationally. The median is $35,880 for Cooks, Short Order versus $31,200 for Fast Food and Counter Workers, a difference of $5K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Cooks, Short Order or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Fast Food and Counter Workers has the better 10-year outlook at 6.1% projected growth, compared to -5.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Cooks, Short Order or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Cooks, Short Order 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, Short Order get paid the most?

Arizona is the top-paying state for Cooks, Short Order at $46,630/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In Arizona, Cooks, Short Order earn $46,630 vs. $34,230 for Fast Food and Counter Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Cooks, Short Order salary breakdownView →Full Fast Food and Counter Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Cooks, Short Order by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Fast Food and Counter Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a cooks, short orderGuide →How to become a fast food and counter workersGuide →