Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Champaign
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,270 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Champaign earn between $31,200 and $34,760.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $33KMedian
- $35K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,790 | $2,816 | $16.25 |
| Median | $32,840 | $2,737 | $15.79 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,760 | $2,897 | $16.71 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Champaign vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Champaign earn 4% less than the Illinois average ($35,340) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +6% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign | $33,790 | $32,840 | $31,200 | $38,270 | 230 |
| Illinois | $35,340 | $34,960 | $31,200 | $40,580 | 13,430 |
| 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 Champaign
On the average salary of $33,790, a single filer in Champaign takes home about $27,799 a year, or $2,317 a month and $1,069 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Champaign a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Champaign area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $33,790 buys what about $36,449 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Champaign ($50,700). A typical home costs $237,290, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Illinois cities
Champaign ranks 2nd of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job; Chicago pays the most ($36,000).
- Chicago$36,000
- Champaign$33,790
- Rockford$33,690
- Peoria$33,100
- Bloomington$32,770
- Kankakee$32,300
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 Champaign: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Champaign?
$16.24 an hour on average, and $15.79 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Champaign?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Champaign?
About $27,799 a year ($2,317 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,790.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Champaign than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more 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 Champaign-Urbana, IL (16580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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