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Fry cook salary
Average fry cook salary
$14.72
Fry Cook Salary Overview
The average salary for a fry cook in the United States is about $30,622 per year, or approximately $15 per hour. This figure may fluctuate based on various factors including geographic location, type of establishment, and level of experience. For instance, fry cooks in upscale restaurants or high-demand areas typically earn more than those in smaller establishments.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience plays a significant role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start around $26,000 annually, while seasoned fry cooks can earn upwards of $35,000. Locations also matter; states such as California and New York often offer higher wages due to the cost of living. Additionally, opportunities for advancement into supervisory roles can further increase earning potential.
Job Opportunities
Fry cooks can find positions in a variety of settings, including fast-food chains, diners, and fine dining establishments. Each setting comes with distinct pay scales and work environments. By leveraging platforms like Zippia, aspiring fry cooks can discover job openings that match their skills and preferences, paving the way for a rewarding career in the culinary field.
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Where can a Fry Cook earn more?
Fry cook salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level fry cook | $23,000 | $11.04 |
| Mid-level fry cook | $27,700 | $13.33 |
| Senior-level fry cook | $32,900 | $15.84 |
Fry cook salary estimates from across the web
Average fry cook salary by state
The average fry cook salary in Washington, Connecticut, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average fry cook salary states are Texas, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for fry cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $35,142 | $16.90 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $32,603 | $15.67 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $36,614 | $17.60 |
| 4 | Washington | $40,283 | $19.37 |
| 5 | Oregon | $36,339 | $17.47 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $33,838 | $16.27 |
| 7 | Alaska | $35,874 | $17.25 |
| 8 | Colorado | $32,530 | $15.64 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $34,298 | $16.49 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $34,851 | $16.76 |
| 11 | California | $35,777 | $17.20 |
| 12 | Vermont | $34,607 | $16.64 |
| 13 | Maine | $33,108 | $15.92 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $31,301 | $15.05 |
| 15 | Idaho | $31,265 | $15.03 |
| 16 | Arizona | $29,632 | $14.25 |
| 17 | Michigan | $29,045 | $13.96 |
| 18 | Utah | $30,174 | $14.51 |
| 19 | New York | $33,229 | $15.98 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $31,970 | $15.37 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $29,636 | $14.25 |
| 22 | Nevada | $29,110 | $14.00 |
| 23 | Montana | $29,657 | $14.26 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $35,183 | $16.91 |
| 25 | Illinois | $29,713 | $14.29 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $31,931 | $15.35 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $29,905 | $14.38 |
| 28 | Ohio | $26,992 | $12.98 |
| 29 | Maryland | $30,687 | $14.75 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $26,052 | $12.53 |
| 31 | Indiana | $26,288 | $12.64 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $28,616 | $13.76 |
| 33 | Virginia | $30,003 | $14.42 |
| 34 | Delaware | $30,057 | $14.45 |
| 35 | Florida | $26,265 | $12.63 |
| 36 | Iowa | $27,729 | $13.33 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $26,225 | $12.61 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $25,124 | $12.08 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $24,715 | $11.88 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $24,417 | $11.74 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $24,862 | $11.95 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $26,349 | $12.67 |
| 43 | Missouri | $24,561 | $11.81 |
| 44 | Texas | $24,361 | $11.71 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $30,166 | $14.50 |
| 46 | Georgia | $24,817 | $11.93 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $21,006 | $10.10 |
| 48 | Kansas | $22,025 | $10.59 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $23,618 | $11.35 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $22,839 | $10.98 |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,655 | $10.89 |
Highest paying cities for fry cooks
The highest-paying cities for fry cooks are Fresno, CA, Portland, OR, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno, CA | $36,521 | $17.56 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $36,376 | $17.49 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $35,158 | $16.90 |
| 4 | Fort Collins, CO | $32,794 | $15.77 |
| 5 | Gloucester, MA | $32,053 | $15.41 |
| 6 | Gaithersburg, MD | $30,557 | $14.69 |
| 7 | Kailua, HI | $30,279 | $14.56 |
| 8 | Salt Lake City, UT | $30,198 | $14.52 |
| 9 | Tempe, AZ | $29,649 | $14.25 |
| 10 | Las Vegas, NV | $28,877 | $13.88 |
| 11 | Lincoln, NE | $28,437 | $13.67 |
| 12 | Daytona Beach, FL | $26,396 | $12.69 |
| 13 | Georgetown, KY | $26,185 | $12.59 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | $25,617 | $12.32 |
| 15 | Sandy Springs, GA | $24,986 | $12.01 |
| 16 | Lafayette, LA | $24,746 | $11.90 |
| 17 | Fayetteville, AR | $24,740 | $11.89 |
| 18 | Oklahoma City, OK | $24,730 | $11.89 |
| 19 | Dallas, TX | $24,589 | $11.82 |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | $21,941 | $10.55 |
Fry cook salary details
A fry cook's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a fry cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $30,622 | $2,552 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying fry cook jobs
The highest paying types of fry cooks are head cook, banquet cook, and line cook/dishwasher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook/Dietary Aide | $27,490 | $2,291 | $13.22 | 163,273 |
| Cook/Dishwasher | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 133,000 |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | $34,435 | $2,870 | $16.56 | 133,370 |
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Cook/Server | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14.29 | 257,582 |
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $31,687 | $2,641 | $15.23 | 126,351 |
Top companies hiring fry cooks now:
Which companies pay fry cooks the most?
Fry cook salaries at Anthony and Erickson Senior Living are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average fry cook salary at companies like Emerald Queen Casino and Shake Shack are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony | $36,034 | $17.32 |
| 2 | Erickson Senior Living | $35,572 | $17.10 |
| 3 | Emerald Queen Casino | $33,417 | $16.07 |
| 4 | Shake Shack | $32,719 | $15.73 |
| 5 | Compass Group USA | $32,328 | $15.54 |
| 6 | Kingfish Restaurant | $31,935 | $15.35 |
| 7 | Trinity Health | $31,610 | $15.20 |
| 8 | Insignia Systems | $31,539 | $15.16 |
| 9 | World of Beer | $31,506 | $15.15 |
| 10 | Country Fresh | $31,089 | $14.95 |
| 11 | Benny's | $30,668 | $14.74 |
| 12 | SAGE Dining Services | $30,653 | $14.74 |
| 13 | The Blackstone | $30,514 | $14.67 |
| 14 | Orange County | $30,383 | $14.61 |
| 15 | Thompson Hospitality | $30,229 | $14.53 |
| 16 | Island Holdings Inc | $30,180 | $14.51 |
| 17 | Guest Services | $29,931 | $14.39 |
| 18 | HMSHost | $29,922 | $14.39 |
| 19 | Oxford | $29,858 | $14.35 |
| 20 | Elior North America | $29,791 | $14.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Fry cook salary trends
The average fry cook salary has risen by $7,145 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average fry cook earned $23,477 annually, but today, they earn $30,622 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for fry cooks over the last decade.
Compare fry cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average fry cook salary over time
Compare fry cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Fry cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,600 | $14.72 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $29,500 | $14.21 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $28,200 | $13.56 | +5.1% |
| 2023 | $26,800 | $12.87 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $25,700 | $12.34 | +4.3% |
Recently added fry cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huey's Restaurant | Cook-Fry | Memphis, TN | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| Avolta | Grill/Fry Cook | Ione, CA | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Tiger Fuel Company | Evening Fry Cook at The Market at Ruckersville | Ruckersville, VA | 06/19/2025 | $29,218 |
| Forefront Healthcare | Grill/Fry Cook | Billings, MT | 06/19/2025 | $35,479 |
| Forefront Healthcare & Culinary Services | Grill/Fry Cook | Billings, MT | 06/12/2025 | $35,479 |
| Emerald Queen Hotel & Casinos | Fry Cook | Fife, WA | 06/11/2025 | $39,841 |
| Area Temps, Inc. | Fry Cook | Shaker Heights, OH | 06/10/2025 | $31,305 |
| Get It-Hospitality | Fry Cook | Metairie, LA | 06/10/2025 | $31,305 |
| Rtt Inc. | Fry Cook/Saute Cook PM-Urgently | Lake Worth, FL | 06/09/2025 | $31,305 |
| Huey's Restaurant | Cook-Fry | Southaven, MS | 06/07/2025 | $31,305 |
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