Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Bowling Green
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,430 a year or less, while the top 10% make $31,290 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Bowling Green earn between $21,750 and $27,190.
- $21K10th
- $22K25th
- $23KMedian
- $27K75th
- $31K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $25,170 | $2,098 | $12.10 |
| Median | $23,450 | $1,954 | $11.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $21,750 | $1,812 | $10.46 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $27,190 | $2,266 | $13.07 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Bowling Green vs. Kentucky and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Bowling Green earn about the same as the Kentucky average ($25,300) and 22% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -24% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | $25,170 | $23,450 | $21,430 | $31,290 | 820 |
| Kentucky | $25,300 | $23,500 | $21,220 | $30,000 | 21,750 |
| 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 Bowling Green
On the average salary of $25,170, a single filer in Bowling Green takes home about $21,071 a year, or $1,756 a month and $810 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). Includes Bowling Green's local income tax (2%).
Is Bowling Green a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Bowling Green area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.2), so the average $25,170 buys what about $27,911 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Bowling Green ($45,040). A typical home costs $267,047, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Kentucky cities
Bowling Green ranks 3rd of 5 Kentucky metro areas for this job; Louisville pays the most ($26,590).
- Louisville$26,590
- Lexington$26,180
- Bowling Green$25,170
- Elizabethtown$25,020
- Owensboro$24,560
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 Bowling Green: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Bowling Green?
$12.10 an hour on average, and $11.28 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Bowling Green?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,430 a year and the 25th percentile is $21,750, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Bowling Green?
About $21,071 a year ($1,756 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $25,170. Includes Bowling Green's local income tax (2%).
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Bowling Green than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% 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 Bowling Green, KY (14540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). Includes Bowling Green's local income tax (2%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.42, this job is 2.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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