Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Baltimore
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,210 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Baltimore earn between $31,550 and $34,410.
- $31K10th
- $32K25th
- $33KMedian
- $34K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,070 | $2,839 | $16.38 |
| Median | $33,290 | $2,774 | $16.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,550 | $2,629 | $15.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,410 | $2,868 | $16.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Baltimore vs. Maryland and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Baltimore earn about the same as the Maryland average ($34,260) and 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $34,070 | $33,290 | $31,200 | $38,210 | 5,440 |
| Maryland | $34,260 | $33,320 | $31,200 | $38,210 | 10,960 |
| 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 Baltimore
On the average salary of $34,070, a single filer in Baltimore takes home about $28,149 a year, or $2,346 a month and $1,083 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Is Baltimore a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Baltimore area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.5), so the average $34,070 buys what about $32,607 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Baltimore ($59,070). A typical home costs $405,877, or 11.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Maryland cities
Baltimore ranks 1st of 4 Maryland metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Baltimore$34,070
- Salisbury$33,900
- Lexington Park$33,330
- Hagerstown$28,440
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 Baltimore: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Baltimore?
$16.38 an hour on average, and $16.01 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Baltimore?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,550, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Baltimore?
About $28,149 a year ($2,346 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,070. Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Baltimore than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (12580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.97, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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