Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Owensboro
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $29,140 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Owensboro earn between $21,680 and $26,720.
- $21K10th
- $22K25th
- $22KMedian
- $27K75th
- $29K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $24,560 | $2,047 | $11.81 |
| Median | $22,260 | $1,855 | $10.70 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $21,680 | $1,807 | $10.42 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $26,720 | $2,227 | $12.85 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Owensboro vs. Kentucky and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Owensboro earn about the same as the Kentucky average ($25,300) and 24% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -28% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro | $24,560 | $22,260 | $20,990 | $29,140 | 620 |
| Kentucky | $25,300 | $23,500 | $21,220 | $30,000 | 21,750 |
| 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 Owensboro
On the average salary of $24,560, a single filer in Owensboro takes home about $20,656 a year, or $1,721 a month and $794 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). Includes Owensboro's local income tax (1.78%).
Is Owensboro a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Owensboro area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.6), so the average $24,560 buys what about $27,717 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Owensboro ($44,960). A typical home costs $213,657, or 8.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Kentucky cities
Owensboro ranks 5th of 5 Kentucky metro areas for this job; Louisville pays the most ($26,590).
- Louisville$26,590
- Lexington$26,180
- Bowling Green$25,170
- Elizabethtown$25,020
- Owensboro$24,560
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 Owensboro: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Owensboro?
$11.81 an hour on average, and $10.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Owensboro?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $20,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $21,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Owensboro?
About $20,656 a year ($1,721 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $24,560. Includes Owensboro's local income tax (1.78%).
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Owensboro than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% 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 Owensboro, KY (36980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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). Includes Owensboro's local income tax (1.78%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.05, this job is 3.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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