Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Traverse City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,770 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Traverse City earn between $26,980 and $33,460.
- $26K10th
- $27K25th
- $29KMedian
- $33K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,180 | $2,515 | $14.51 |
| Median | $28,740 | $2,395 | $13.82 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $26,980 | $2,248 | $12.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $33,460 | $2,788 | $16.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Traverse City vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Traverse City earn about the same as the Michigan average ($30,400) and 7% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -7% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City | $30,180 | $28,740 | $25,960 | $36,770 | 300 |
| Michigan | $30,400 | $29,460 | $25,960 | $37,240 | 14,340 |
| 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 Traverse City
On the average salary of $30,180, a single filer in Traverse City takes home about $25,393 a year, or $2,116 a month and $977 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).
Is Traverse City a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Traverse City area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.4), so the average $30,180 buys what about $32,322 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Traverse City ($47,470). A typical home costs $421,806, or 14.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Michigan cities
Traverse City ranks 4th of 12 Michigan metro areas for this job; Ann Arbor pays the most ($31,790).
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 Traverse City: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Traverse City?
$14.51 an hour on average, and $13.82 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Traverse City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $26,980, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Traverse City?
About $25,393 a year ($2,116 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,180.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Traverse City than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Traverse City, MI (45900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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