Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Kalamazoo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $33,740 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Kalamazoo earn between $27,160 and $33,280.
- $26K10th
- $27K25th
- $29KMedian
- $33K75th
- $34K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,280 | $2,523 | $14.56 |
| Median | $29,300 | $2,442 | $14.09 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,160 | $2,263 | $13.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $33,280 | $2,773 | $16.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Kalamazoo vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Kalamazoo earn about the same as the Michigan average ($30,400) and 7% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo | $30,280 | $29,300 | $25,960 | $33,740 | 440 |
| 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 Kalamazoo
On the average salary of $30,280, a single filer in Kalamazoo takes home about $25,470 a year, or $2,122 a month and $980 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 (2025 rules).
Is Kalamazoo a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Kalamazoo area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 94.8), so the average $30,280 buys what about $31,927 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Kalamazoo ($48,510). A typical home costs $279,752, or 9.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Michigan cities
Kalamazoo ranks 3rd 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 Kalamazoo: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Kalamazoo?
$14.56 an hour on average, and $14.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Kalamazoo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,160, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Kalamazoo?
About $25,470 a year ($2,122 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,280.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Kalamazoo than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI (28020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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