Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Kentucky

Cooks, fast food in Kentucky earn the most in Louisville (average $26,590 a year) and the least in Owensboro ($24,560), across the 5 Kentucky metro areas we cover. Statewide, BLS puts the cooks, fast food average at $25,300 and the median at $23,500 for 21,750 workers. The U.S. average for this job is $32,390.

Cooks, Fast Food average salary by city in Kentucky

Louisville$26,590
Lexington$26,180
Bowling Green$25,170
Elizabethtown$25,020
Owensboro$24,560

Pay, take-home pay and cost of living

City	Average	Median	25th pct.	Take-home*	Cost of living
Louisville	$26,590	$26,990	$22,080	$22,109	93
Lexington	$26,180	$26,840	$22,650	$21,651	93
Bowling Green	$25,170	$23,450	$21,750	$21,071	90
Elizabethtown	$25,020	$23,870	$21,970	$20,968	91
Owensboro	$24,560	$22,260	$21,680	$20,656	89

*Average salary after federal and state taxes for a single filer; includes Louisville's local income tax (2.2%). Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.

Cooks, Fast Food salary in other states

Cooks, Fast Food salary by city and state

More about pay in Kentucky

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.
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.

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