Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Charleston, WV

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Charleston, WV

Median annual salary $22,950 -23.9% vs national
Median hourly $11.03
10th percentile $21,550
90th percentile $27,520
Employed locally 2,410
National median $30,160

Compare Cooks, Fast Food salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Charleston, WV stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Cooks, Fast Food
in
Charleston, WV
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $21,550
    25th
    $21,790
    50th (median)
    $22,950
    75th
    $26,170
    90th
    $27,520

    Charleston economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $58,089 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Fast Food salary vs area income 40% Median Cooks, Fast Food salary is 60% 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
    Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $35,360
    Winchester, VA-WV $27,960
    Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $27,510
    Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $23,960
    Morgantown, WV $23,390
    Wheeling, WV-OH $23,210

    Related occupations in Charleston, WV

    OccupationMedian salary
    Waiters and Waitresses $36,310
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $29,550
    Cooks, Restaurant $28,820
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $23,490
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $28,600
    Food Preparation Workers $27,540

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Charleston, WV is $11.03, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $13.38 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Fast Food salary in Charleston, WV is 23.9% 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 Charleston?

    Entry-level Cooks, Fast Food (10th percentile) earn around $21,550 per year in Charleston, WV. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $21,790.