Cooks, Fast Food Salary
Cooks, Fast Foods in Colorado make a median of $36,900 a year, or about $17.74 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in Colorado?
About cooks, fast foods
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level cooks, fast foods (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Fast Food salary by metro in Colorado
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $39K | +4% | 4,220 |
| Colorado Springs | $37K | -1% | 1,340 |
| Boulder | $36K | -2% | 580 |
| Greeley | $36K | -3% | 360 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $35K | -5% | 960 |
| Pueblo | $34K | -7% | 340 |
| Grand Junction | $34K | -8% | 310 |
Compare to other states
Track cooks, fast food salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, fast foods in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, fast foods typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,918/month.
Is cooks, fast food a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $37K here vs. $31K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for cooks, fast foods?
Colorado pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s +19%.
How much do cooks, fast foods make in Colorado?
The median is $36,900 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,970, and experienced cooks, fast foods can clear $46,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,505/month after taxes. Rent data is not available for this area.
How far does a cooks, fast food salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, fast food salary is worth about $36,900 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, fast foods get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.