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Salary comparison

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

Cooks, Restaurants out-earn Fast Food and Counter Workerss by $6K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Fast Food and Counter Workerss land at $31,200 and Cooks, Restaurants at $37,390. The education gap is real: fast food and counter worker programs typically require no formal educational credential, while cooks, restaurant programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Fast Food and Counter Workerss is California ($42,280); for Cooks, Restaurants it's Washington ($46,800).

Fast Food and Counter Workers
Cooks, Restaurant
Median salary
$31,200
$37,390
Hourly rate
$15/hr
$17.98/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$22,840
$28,700
Senior level (90th %)
$42,650
$47,900
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
3,854,050
1,409,890
Job growth (10-year)
6.1%
14.9%
Category
Food Service
Food Service
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Fast Food and Counter Workers median pay.

State
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Cooks, Restaurant
California
$42,280
$44,880
Washington
$37,710
$46,800
District of Columbia
$37,430
$46,130
Colorado
$36,270
$41,600
Vermont
$36,030
$45,390
Massachusetts
$35,850
$45,600
Connecticut
$35,380
$39,480
Hawaii
$35,250
$45,420
New York
$35,250
$43,680
Oregon
$35,050
$43,100
Maine
$34,710
$45,290
Arizona
$34,230
$38,670
Alaska
$33,280
$40,140
Nevada
$31,950
$38,610
New Hampshire
$31,590
$40,200

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Fast Food and Counter Workerss or Cooks, Restaurants?

Cooks, Restaurants earn more nationally. The median is $31,200 for Fast Food and Counter Workerss versus $37,390 for Cooks, Restaurants, a difference of $6K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

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

Cooks, Restaurant has the better 10-year outlook at 14.9% projected growth, compared to 6.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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

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

Where do Fast Food and Counter Workerss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Fast Food and Counter Workerss at $42,280/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Fast Food and Counter Workerss earn $42,280 vs. $44,880 for Cooks, Restaurants. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Fast Food and Counter Workers salary breakdownView →Full Cooks, Restaurant salary breakdownView →Best cities for Fast Food and Counter Workerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Cooks, Restaurants by take-home payExplore →How to become a fast food and counter workersGuide →How to become a cooks, restaurantGuide →