Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Allentown, PA-NJ

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

Median annual salary $28,760 -4.6% vs national
Median hourly $13.83
10th percentile $23,690
90th percentile $44,060
Employed locally 530
National median $30,160

Compare Cooks, Fast Food salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Allentown, PA-NJ stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Cooks, Fast Food
in
Allentown, PA-NJ
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $23,690
    25th
    $27,460
    50th (median)
    $28,760
    75th
    $36,290
    90th
    $44,060

    Allentown economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $82,602 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Fast Food salary vs area income 35% Median Cooks, Fast Food salary is 65% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Fast Food

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $41,980
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $41,800
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $40,580
    Hawaii $40,300
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $39,260
    Napa, CA $39,210

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Fast Food salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Napa, CA $39,210
    San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $36,390
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $32,050
    Lexington Park, MD $31,840
    Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $30,760
    Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $30,200

    Related occupations in Allentown, PA-NJ

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,230
    Waiters and Waitresses $31,470
    Cooks, Restaurant $36,750
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $40,630
    Bartenders $30,630
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $38,410

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Fast Food make per hour in Allentown?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Allentown, PA-NJ is $13.83, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.18 or more per hour.

    Is Allentown above or below average for Cooks, Fast Food salaries?

    The median Cooks, Fast Food salary in Allentown, PA-NJ is 4.6% below the national median of $30,160. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Fast Food in Allentown?

    Entry-level Cooks, Fast Food (10th percentile) earn around $23,690 per year in Allentown, PA-NJ. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $27,460.