Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

35-2011 Cooks, Fast Food

Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
502,450 1.6 % $9.00 $18,720 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.74 $8.24 $8.80 $9.35 $11.13
Annual Wage (2) $16,090 $17,140 $18,300 $19,450 $23,140

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Limited-Service Eating Places 438,310 10.69 $8.94 $18,590
Full-Service Restaurants 37,020 0.81 $9.31 $19,370
Gasoline Stations 5,110 0.62 $8.61 $17,910
Grocery Stores 4,120 0.17 $10.16 $21,130
Special Food Services 3,160 0.55 $10.38 $21,600

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Limited-Service Eating Places 438,310 10.69 $8.94 $18,590
Specialty Food Stores 2,280 1.05 $9.13 $18,990
Amusement Parks and Arcades 1,430 0.87 $9.85 $20,480
Full-Service Restaurants 37,020 0.81 $9.31 $19,370
Gasoline Stations 5,110 0.62 $8.61 $17,910

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 50 (7) $12.36 $25,700
Local Government (OES Designation) 680 0.01 $11.33 $23,570
Gambling Industries 230 0.18 $11.00 $22,880
Traveler Accommodation 1,190 0.07 $10.41 $21,650
Special Food Services 3,160 0.55 $10.38 $21,600

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 103,230 7.35 1.88 $9.13 $18,980
Texas 38,190 3.71 0.95 $8.63 $17,950
Florida 26,280 3.67 0.94 $8.92 $18,560
Illinois 25,110 4.51 1.15 $9.33 $19,400
Georgia 21,730 5.75 1.47 $8.77 $18,240




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Mississippi 9,960 9.28 2.37 $8.34 $17,350
Arkansas 9,860 8.65 2.21 $8.33 $17,320
New Mexico 5,860 7.54 1.92 $8.67 $18,040
California 103,230 7.35 1.88 $9.13 $18,980
Idaho 4,240 7.15 1.83 $8.61 $17,910




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut 4,090 2.54 0.65 $11.23 $23,360
Vermont 330 1.15 0.29 $10.55 $21,940
Massachusetts 8,510 2.70 0.69 $10.13 $21,070
Washington 3,960 1.46 0.37 $10.07 $20,940
Alaska 800 2.57 0.65 $10.02 $20,840





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 30,370 7.95 2.03 $9.03 $18,770
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 12,480 3.48 0.89 $9.37 $19,480
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 11,580 10.14 2.59 $9.03 $18,780
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 10,640 4.78 1.22 $8.90 $18,500
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 10,280 7.41 1.89 $9.03 $18,790
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 10,010 5.89 1.50 $9.41 $19,570
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 8,250 6.68 1.70 $9.57 $19,900
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 7,280 9.04 2.31 $8.91 $18,540
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 7,180 2.81 0.72 $9.05 $18,830
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 6,850 1.35 0.35 $10.28 $21,380




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Yuba City, CA 610 16.97 4.33 $8.92 $18,560
Cleveland, TN 550 15.17 3.87 $8.42 $17,500
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 630 14.18 3.62 $9.88 $20,560
Hanford-Corcoran, CA 500 13.82 3.53 $8.63 $17,950
Pine Bluff, AR 480 13.68 3.49 $8.20 $17,050
Rome, GA 440 12.79 3.27 $8.55 $17,790
Hattiesburg, MS 700 12.63 3.22 $8.28 $17,220
Modesto, CA 1,860 12.43 3.17 $8.99 $18,700
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC 1,350 12.33 3.15 $8.51 $17,700
Merced, CA 710 12.31 3.14 $8.80 $18,300