Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,760 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,550 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Los Angeles earn between $37,080 and $42,540.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $38KMedian
- $43K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,210 | $3,351 | $19.33 |
| Median | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,080 | $3,090 | $17.83 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,540 | $3,545 | $20.45 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Los Angeles earn 3% less than the California average ($41,490) and 24% more than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +23% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $40,210 | $38,000 | $35,760 | $45,550 | 48,440 |
| California | $41,490 | $42,050 | $35,750 | $48,750 | 124,440 |
| 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 Los Angeles
On the average salary of $40,210, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $33,745 a year, or $2,812 a month and $1,298 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $40,210 buys what about $35,407 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 24.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 20th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($46,590).
- San Francisco$46,590
- San Jose$46,530
- Vallejo$44,360
- Napa$43,910
- Santa Rosa$43,620
- Santa Maria$42,120
- Santa Cruz$42,030
- Salinas$41,940
- Modesto$41,900
- Los Angeles$40,210
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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Cooks, Fast Food salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Los Angeles?
$19.33 an hour on average, and $18.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,760 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $33,745 a year ($2,812 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,210. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% more 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.87, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.