Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,740 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Nashville earn between $28,340 and $37,670.
- $22K10th
- $28K25th
- $34KMedian
- $38K75th
- $39K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,970 | $2,748 | $15.85 |
| Median | $34,210 | $2,851 | $16.45 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,340 | $2,362 | $13.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,670 | $3,139 | $18.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Nashville earn 12% more than the Tennessee average ($29,480) and about the same as the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +11% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $32,970 | $34,210 | $22,340 | $38,740 | 4,840 |
| Tennessee | $29,480 | $28,330 | $20,380 | $38,330 | 14,020 |
| 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 Nashville
On the average salary of $32,970, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $28,671 a year, or $2,389 a month and $1,103 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $32,970 buys what about $34,223 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 13.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 1st of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Nashville$32,970
- Knoxville$28,980
- Kingsport$28,270
- Memphis$27,550
- Morristown$26,870
- Chattanooga$26,840
- Clarksville$26,710
- Johnson City$26,420
- Jackson$26,170
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 Nashville: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Nashville?
$15.85 an hour on average, and $16.45 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Nashville?
About $28,671 a year ($2,389 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,970. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.9%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.07, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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