Cooks, Fast Food Salary
Cooks, Fast Foods in Washington make a median of $39,120 a year, or about $18.81 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $38,349 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 65% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Washington?
About cooks, fast foods
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What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for cooks, fast food, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,830/month, which is 65.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level cooks, fast foods (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Fast Food salary by metro in Washington
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $44K | +13% | 5,190 |
| Bellingham | $38K | -2% | 230 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $38K | -3% | 300 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | $38K | -3% | 170 |
| Kennewick-Richland | $37K | -5% | 330 |
| Yakima | $37K | -6% | 290 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $37K | -6% | 330 |
| Longview-Kelso | $37K | -7% | 140 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | $36K | -7% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track cooks, fast food salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, fast food afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 65.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, fast foods typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,120/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooks, fast food a high-paying job in Washington?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $39K here vs. $31K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for cooks, fast foods?
Washington pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cooks, fast foods make in Washington?
The median is $39,120 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,330, and experienced cooks, fast foods can clear $44,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,789/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 65.6% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (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 $38,349 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.