Quick answer
Fast Food Cooks in California earned a median of $42,050 a year ($20.21 an hour) in May 2025, 36% above the national median of $30,890; 124,440 were employed there, ranking #3 of 53 states and territories by median pay, per BLS OEWS.
Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
| Measure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $42,050 | $30,890 |
| Mean annual wage | $41,490 | $32,390 |
| Median hourly wage | $20.21 | $14.85 |
| 10th percentile | $35,750 | $22,580 |
| 25th percentile | $37,260 | $27,260 |
| 75th percentile | $43,300 | $37,260 |
| 90th percentile | $48,750 | $42,910 |
| Employment | 124,440 | 641,070 |
| Jobs per 1,000 | 6.832 | — |
| Location quotient | 1.66 | 1.00 |
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- Fast Food Cooks salary in District of Columbia (May 2025)
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.