Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Birmingham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $34,650 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Birmingham earn between $26,410 and $29,710.
- $24K10th
- $26K25th
- $28KMedian
- $30K75th
- $35K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,550 | $2,379 | $13.73 |
| Median | $28,320 | $2,360 | $13.62 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $26,410 | $2,201 | $12.70 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $29,710 | $2,476 | $14.28 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Birmingham vs. Alabama and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Birmingham earn 4% more than the Alabama average ($27,570) and 12% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $28,550 | $28,320 | $23,800 | $34,650 | 6,120 |
| Alabama | $27,570 | $27,870 | $22,640 | $34,170 | 26,740 |
| United States | $32,390 | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Fast Food salary after taxes in Birmingham
On the average salary of $28,550, a single filer in Birmingham takes home about $24,012 a year, or $2,001 a month and $924 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Birmingham a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Birmingham area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.6), so the average $28,550 buys what about $31,153 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Birmingham ($47,770). A typical home costs $262,556, or 9.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Alabama cities
Birmingham ranks 3rd of 12 Alabama metro areas for this job; Huntsville pays the most ($29,870).
- Huntsville$29,870
- Decatur$28,590
- Birmingham$28,550
- Tuscaloosa$27,740
- Mobile$27,570
- Daphne$27,520
- Auburn$27,010
- Montgomery$26,990
- Florence$26,420
- Anniston$26,150
Highest-paying cities for cooks, fast food
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($46,590).
- San Francisco, CA$46,590
- San Jose, CA$46,530
- Vallejo, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,910
- Seattle, WA$43,770
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Cooks, Fast Food salary in Birmingham: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Birmingham?
$13.73 an hour on average, and $13.62 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Birmingham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $26,410, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Birmingham?
About $24,012 a year ($2,001 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,550. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Birmingham than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% less than the U.S. average for this job ($32,390).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2011; area Birmingham, AL (13820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.85, this job is 2.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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