Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Iowa City, IA
Cooks, Fast Foods in Iowa City, IA make a median of $29,140 a year, or about $14.01 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $31,844 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $962/month — about 46.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cooks, fast foods
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level cooks, fast foods (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Fast Food pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $40K | +34% | 830 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +27% | 2,610 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +23% | 2,280 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +23% | 5,140 |
| Vermont | $37K | +23% | 1,060 |
| Oregon | $37K | +23% | 4,360 |
| Washington | $37K | +22% | 8,630 |
| California | $36K | +21% | 136,550 |
| Alaska | $36K | +19% | 2,930 |
| Maine | $36K | +19% | 1,970 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | +18% | N/A |
| New York | $34K | +13% | 21,210 |
| New Jersey | $34K | +13% | 5,360 |
| Connecticut | $34K | +12% | 3,950 |
| Nevada | $33K | +8% | 6,610 |
| Wyoming | $32K | +7% | 440 |
| Maryland | $32K | +5% | 9,550 |
| Illinois | $32K | +5% | 16,320 |
| Arizona | $31K | +3% | 11,220 |
| Minnesota | $31K | +2% | 7,400 |
| South Dakota | $31K | +2% | 1,210 |
| Utah | $30K | -1% | 6,250 |
| Missouri | $29K | -2% | 52,590 |
| North Dakota | $29K | -3% | 840 |
| Michigan | $29K | -3% | 11,470 |
| Nebraska | $29K | -3% | 2,000 |
| Delaware | $29K | -4% | 790 |
| Florida | $29K | -4% | 19,510 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -4% | 2,600 |
| Iowa | $29K | -5% | 5,900 |
| Virginia | $29K | -5% | 17,430 |
| Indiana | $29K | -5% | 5,840 |
| Wisconsin | $28K | -6% | 9,420 |
| Kansas | $28K | -7% | 2,150 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -7% | 16,690 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -9% | 9,760 |
| Pennsylvania | $27K | -9% | 12,420 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -11% | 89,140 |
| Alabama | $27K | -12% | 25,580 |
| Ohio | $27K | -12% | 12,610 |
| Georgia | $26K | -12% | 6,040 |
| Montana | $26K | -13% | 1,310 |
| Idaho | $26K | -13% | 2,090 |
| Arkansas | $25K | -18% | 5,980 |
| Texas | $24K | -19% | 31,120 |
| South Carolina | $24K | -21% | 10,120 |
| Kentucky | $23K | -22% | 20,250 |
| West Virginia | $23K | -24% | 15,590 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -26% | 10,520 |
| Louisiana | $22K | -27% | 2,120 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, fast food salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa City numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, fast foods make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $29,140 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,560, and experienced cooks, fast foods can clear $37,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,015/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 47.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cooks, fast food salary go in Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, fast food salary is worth about $31,844 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.