Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Decatur
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,560 a year or less, while the top 10% make $34,660 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Decatur earn between $25,820 and $30,200.
- $24K10th
- $26K25th
- $28KMedian
- $30K75th
- $35K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,590 | $2,382 | $13.75 |
| Median | $28,480 | $2,373 | $13.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $25,820 | $2,152 | $12.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,200 | $2,517 | $14.52 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Decatur vs. Alabama and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Decatur earn 4% more than the Alabama average ($27,570) and 12% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $28,590 | $28,480 | $23,560 | $34,660 | 920 |
| Alabama | $27,570 | $27,870 | $22,640 | $34,170 | 26,740 |
| 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 Decatur
On the average salary of $28,590, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $24,043 a year, or $2,004 a month and $925 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Decatur a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Decatur area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.2), so the average $28,590 buys what about $32,782 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($46,280). A typical home costs $232,614, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Alabama cities
Decatur ranks 2nd of 12 Alabama metro areas for this job; Huntsville pays the most ($29,870).
- Huntsville$29,870
- Decatur$28,590
- Birmingham$28,550
- Tuscaloosa$27,740
- Mobile$27,570
- Daphne$27,520
- Auburn$27,010
- Montgomery$26,990
- Florence$26,420
- Anniston$26,150
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 Decatur: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Decatur?
$13.75 an hour on average, and $13.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Decatur?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,560 a year and the 25th percentile is $25,820, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Decatur?
About $24,043 a year ($2,004 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,590. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% less 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 Decatur, AL (19460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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 (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.65, this job is 3.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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