Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a fast food cook
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Fast food cook opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for fast food cooks, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for fast food cooks.Although there are abundant fast food cook jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Nevada is the best state in the country for fast food cook jobs.
In order to get you the best states for fast food cooks, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Nevada is the best state, and Haverhill is the city with the highest pay for fast food cooks.
10 best states for fast food cooks in 2025
1. Nevada
Total fast food cook jobs: 464 Average annual salary: $31,293 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.032. Massachusetts
Total fast food cook jobs: 1,372 Average annual salary: $34,867 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.73. Washington
Total fast food cook jobs: 1,130 Average annual salary: $34,302 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.724. Connecticut
Total fast food cook jobs: 653 Average annual salary: $31,479 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.925. Maine
Total fast food cook jobs: 204 Average annual salary: $31,795 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.726. Vermont
Total fast food cook jobs: 105 Average annual salary: $32,908 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.647. New Jersey
Total fast food cook jobs: 1,255 Average annual salary: $33,073 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.748. New Hampshire
Total fast food cook jobs: 230 Average annual salary: $32,087 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.619. Georgia
Total fast food cook jobs: 2,337 Average annual salary: $27,607 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 1.0510. Minnesota
Total fast food cook jobs: 1,173 Average annual salary: $29,851 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
Fast food cook jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a fast food cook
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a fast food cook
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $31,293 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 464 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $34,867 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,372 |
| 3 | Washington | $34,302 | $25,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,130 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $31,479 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 653 |
| 5 | Maine | $31,795 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 204 |
| 6 | Vermont | $32,908 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 105 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $33,073 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,255 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $32,087 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 230 |
| 9 | Georgia | $27,607 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,337 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $29,851 | $22,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,173 |
| 11 | Florida | $26,436 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,072 |
| 12 | New York | $31,212 | $23,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,035 |
| 13 | Missouri | $26,854 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,405 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $28,895 | $22,000 | 755,393 | 152 |
| 15 | Idaho | $28,159 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 331 |
| 16 | Colorado | $27,585 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,462 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $27,651 | $20,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,122 |
| 18 | Arizona | $25,684 | $19,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,701 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $30,063 | $22,000 | 1,059,639 | 166 |
| 20 | Michigan | $26,358 | $19,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,718 |
| 21 | Alaska | $26,721 | $21,000 | 739,795 | 206 |
| 22 | Illinois | $26,597 | $20,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,628 |
| 23 | Oregon | $29,261 | $22,000 | 4,142,776 | 606 |
| 24 | California | $30,160 | $22,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,935 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $24,606 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,193 |
| 26 | Delaware | $27,094 | $20,000 | 961,939 | 239 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $24,052 | $18,000 | 579,315 | 148 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $25,388 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 186 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $25,225 | $18,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,380 |
| 30 | Ohio | $24,798 | $18,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,191 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $30,849 | $23,000 | 693,972 | 122 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $29,993 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 144 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $22,232 | $17,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,704 |
| 34 | Utah | $24,653 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 617 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $23,484 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 700 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $22,284 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,033 |
| 37 | Montana | $23,989 | $18,000 | 1,050,493 | 236 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $22,942 | $17,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,324 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $22,803 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 687 |
| 40 | Iowa | $22,835 | $17,000 | 3,145,711 | 755 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $22,740 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 553 |
| 42 | Maryland | $25,906 | $19,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,007 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $23,137 | $17,000 | 2,088,070 | 426 |
| 44 | Indiana | $21,987 | $16,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,898 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $23,676 | $18,000 | 1,920,076 | 372 |
| 46 | Texas | $21,104 | $16,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,691 |
| 47 | Virginia | $23,092 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,840 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $20,174 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 550 |
| 49 | Alabama | $21,651 | $16,000 | 4,874,747 | 965 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $20,440 | $15,000 | 1,815,857 | 356 |
| 51 | Kansas | $22,023 | $16,000 | 2,913,123 | 590 |
Highest paying states for fast food cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. Fast Food Cook Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $31,293 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $34,867 |
| 3 | Washington | $34,302 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $31,479 |
| 5 | Maine | $31,795 |
| 6 | Vermont | $32,908 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $33,073 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $32,087 |
| 9 | Georgia | $27,607 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $29,851 |
| 11 | Florida | $26,436 |
| 12 | New York | $31,212 |
| 13 | Missouri | $26,854 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $28,895 |
| 15 | Idaho | $28,159 |
| 16 | Colorado | $27,585 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $27,651 |
| 18 | Arizona | $25,684 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $30,063 |
| 20 | Michigan | $26,358 |
| 21 | Alaska | $26,721 |
| 22 | Illinois | $26,597 |
| 23 | Oregon | $29,261 |
| 24 | California | $30,160 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $24,606 |
| 26 | Delaware | $27,094 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $24,052 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $25,388 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $25,225 |
| 30 | Ohio | $24,798 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $30,849 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $29,993 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $22,232 |
| 34 | Utah | $24,653 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $23,484 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $22,284 |
| 37 | Montana | $23,989 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $22,942 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $22,803 |
| 40 | Iowa | $22,835 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $22,740 |
| 42 | Maryland | $25,906 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $23,137 |
| 44 | Indiana | $21,987 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $23,676 |
| 46 | Texas | $21,104 |
| 47 | Virginia | $23,092 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $20,174 |
| 49 | Alabama | $21,651 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $20,440 |
| 51 | Kansas | $22,023 |
Fast food cook best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for fast food cook jobs
Updated January 8, 2025