Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,850 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,430 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Philadelphia earn between $28,840 and $38,070.
- $25K10th
- $29K25th
- $32KMedian
- $38K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,630 | $2,886 | $16.65 |
| Median | $32,220 | $2,685 | $15.49 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,840 | $2,403 | $13.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,070 | $3,172 | $18.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Philadelphia vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Philadelphia earn 13% more than the Pennsylvania average ($30,580) and 7% more than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $34,630 | $32,220 | $24,850 | $46,430 | 4,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,580 | $28,810 | $22,610 | $42,380 | 9,240 |
| 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 Philadelphia
On the average salary of $34,630, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $28,942 a year, or $2,412 a month and $1,113 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NJ | $29,487 | $2,457 |
| Working in PA | $28,942 | $2,412 |
| Working in DE | $28,650 | $2,388 |
| Working in MD | $28,572 | $2,381 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $34,630 buys what about $33,768 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 11.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 1st of 11 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Philadelphia$34,630
- Allentown$31,960
- Harrisburg$30,350
- Lancaster$30,260
- State College$30,260
- York$29,620
- Gettysburg$29,380
- Scranton$29,380
- Chambersburg$28,130
- Pittsburgh$27,690
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 Philadelphia: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Philadelphia?
$16.65 an hour on average, and $15.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,850 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,840, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $28,942 a year ($2,412 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,630. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.34, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.34).
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