Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Cooks, Fast Foods in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL make a median of $30,200 a year, or about $14.52 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $26,454 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month — about 112.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $30K get you in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Entry-level cooks, fast foods (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $10K 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, fast foods make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $30,200 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,750, and experienced cooks, fast foods can clear $36,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 111.1% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, fast food salary is worth about $26,454 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.