Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Madison, WI

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Madison, WI

Median annual salary $28,490 -5.5% vs national
Median hourly $13.70
10th percentile $18,320
90th percentile $34,120
Employed locally 1,280
National median $30,160

Compare Cooks, Fast Food salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Fast Food
in
Madison, WI
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $18,320
    25th
    $24,930
    50th (median)
    $28,490
    75th
    $32,980
    90th
    $34,120

    Madison economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.40% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $86,827 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Fast Food salary vs area income 33% Median Cooks, Fast Food salary is 67% 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
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $35,550
    Lewiston-Auburn, ME $35,470
    Kennewick-Richland, WA $34,900
    Lewiston, ID-WA $34,270
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $32,050
    Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $29,470

    Related occupations in Madison, WI

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,920
    Waiters and Waitresses $30,520
    Bartenders $22,450
    Cooks, Restaurant $38,400
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $44,580
    Food Preparation Workers $35,260

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Madison, WI is $13.70, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.25 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Fast Food salary in Madison, WI is 5.5% 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 Madison?

    Entry-level Cooks, Fast Food (10th percentile) earn around $18,320 per year in Madison, WI. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $24,930.