Cooks, Fast Food Salary
Cooks, Fast Foods in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area make a median of $26,180 a year, or about $12.59 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $30K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $26K actually covers in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area, month by month
About cooks, fast foods
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area
Entry-level cooks, fast foods (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $30K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Fast Food pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cooks, Fast Food salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48K | +56% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +45% | 2,760 |
| California | $42K | +36% | 124,440 |
| Washington | $39K | +27% | 9,020 |
| New Hampshire | $39K | +25% | 1,330 |
| Vermont | $38K | +24% | 640 |
| Oregon | $38K | +23% | 4,300 |
| Massachusetts | $38K | +23% | N/A |
| Colorado | $37K | +19% | 9,220 |
| Maine | $36K | +18% | 1,470 |
| New York | $36K | +16% | 11,710 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | +14% | 1,210 |
| Connecticut | $35K | +13% | 3,630 |
| Illinois | $35K | +13% | 13,430 |
| Minnesota | $34K | +10% | 5,190 |
| Alaska | $34K | +10% | 2,250 |
| Nevada | $34K | +10% | 5,890 |
| Maryland | $33K | +8% | 10,960 |
| Arizona | $33K | +6% | 11,210 |
| New Jersey | $32K | +4% | 3,440 |
| Delaware | $32K | +3% | 850 |
| Utah | $32K | +3% | 4,400 |
| Idaho | $31K | +1% | 1,610 |
| South Dakota | $31K | +0% | 1,720 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -1% | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $30K | -2% | 580 |
| New Mexico | $30K | -2% | 1,800 |
| Virginia | $30K | -3% | 12,520 |
| Florida | $30K | -3% | 22,600 |
| Missouri | $30K | -3% | 55,780 |
| Indiana | $30K | -3% | 6,830 |
| Michigan | $29K | -5% | 14,340 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -6% | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -6% | 6,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -7% | 9,240 |
| Kansas | $29K | -7% | 1,610 |
| Iowa | $29K | -8% | 8,290 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -8% | 14,020 |
| Texas | $28K | -8% | 36,240 |
| Alabama | $28K | -10% | 26,740 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -10% | 8,860 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -10% | 7,860 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -11% | 9,110 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -12% | 81,980 |
| Georgia | $27K | -13% | 12,940 |
| Ohio | $27K | -13% | 12,310 |
| Montana | $27K | -13% | 820 |
| Louisiana | $25K | -19% | 3,000 |
| Kentucky | $24K | -24% | 21,750 |
| West Virginia | $23K | -25% | 16,490 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -27% | 11,170 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cooks, fast food salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a cooks, fast food afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 104.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,930/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, fast foods in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, fast foods typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,635/month.
Is cooks, fast food a high-paying job in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $26K here vs. $31K nationally.
How does South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area compare to the national average for cooks, fast foods?
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -15%.
How much do cooks, fast foods make in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
The median is $26,180 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,880, and experienced cooks, fast foods can clear $30,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,851/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,930/month, which eats 104.3% 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 South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area?
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 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 $26,180 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.