Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Detroit
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,990 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Detroit earn between $29,260 and $30,920.
- $28K10th
- $29K25th
- $30KMedian
- $31K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $31,780 | $2,648 | $15.28 |
| Median | $29,810 | $2,484 | $14.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,260 | $2,438 | $14.07 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,920 | $2,577 | $14.87 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Detroit vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Detroit earn 5% more than the Michigan average ($30,400) and about the same as the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $31,780 | $29,810 | $28,090 | $37,990 | 5,930 |
| Michigan | $30,400 | $29,460 | $25,960 | $37,240 | 14,340 |
| 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 Detroit
On the average salary of $31,780, a single filer in Detroit takes home about $25,988 a year, or $2,166 a month and $1,000 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). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Is Detroit a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Detroit area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.3), so the average $31,780 buys what about $31,686 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Detroit ($52,080). A typical home costs $269,080, or 8.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Michigan cities
Detroit ranks 2nd of 12 Michigan metro areas for this job; Ann Arbor pays the most ($31,790).
- Ann Arbor$31,790
- Detroit$31,780
- Kalamazoo$30,280
- Traverse City$30,180
- Grand Rapids$30,000
- Lansing$29,640
- Flint$29,450
- Jackson$29,190
- Niles$29,080
- Midland$28,980
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 Detroit: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Detroit?
$15.28 an hour on average, and $14.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Detroit?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,260, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Detroit?
About $25,988 a year ($2,166 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $31,780. Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Detroit than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (19820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
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