Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Rockford
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,150 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Rockford earn between $31,260 and $35,370.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $33KMedian
- $35K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $33,690 | $2,808 | $16.20 |
| Median | $33,380 | $2,782 | $16.05 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,260 | $2,605 | $15.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,370 | $2,948 | $17.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Rockford vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Rockford earn 5% less than the Illinois average ($35,340) and 4% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford | $33,690 | $33,380 | $31,200 | $36,150 | 310 |
| 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 Rockford
On the average salary of $33,690, a single filer in Rockford takes home about $27,723 a year, or $2,310 a month and $1,066 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 Rockford a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rockford area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $33,690 buys what about $36,558 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Rockford ($47,120). A typical home costs $221,368, or 6.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Illinois cities
Rockford ranks 3rd 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 Rockford: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Rockford?
$16.20 an hour on average, and $16.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Rockford?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,260, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Rockford?
About $27,723 a year ($2,310 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,690.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Rockford 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 Rockford, IL (40420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 0.55, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.55).
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