Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,420 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Chattanooga earn between $21,420 and $29,070.
- $19K10th
- $21K25th
- $27KMedian
- $29K75th
- $35K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $26,840 | $2,237 | $12.90 |
| Median | $26,890 | $2,241 | $12.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $21,420 | $1,785 | $10.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $29,070 | $2,422 | $13.98 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Chattanooga vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Chattanooga earn 9% less than the Tennessee average ($29,480) and 17% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $26,840 | $26,890 | $18,980 | $35,420 | 940 |
| Tennessee | $29,480 | $28,330 | $20,380 | $38,330 | 14,020 |
| 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 Chattanooga
On the average salary of $26,840, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $23,713 a year, or $1,976 a month and $912 every two weeks. Taxes take 12% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $23,713 | $1,976 |
| Working in GA | $23,122 | $1,927 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $26,840 buys what about $29,345 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 12.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 6th of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($32,970).
- Nashville$32,970
- Knoxville$28,980
- Kingsport$28,270
- Memphis$27,550
- Morristown$26,870
- Chattanooga$26,840
- Clarksville$26,710
- Johnson City$26,420
- Jackson$26,170
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 Chattanooga: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Chattanooga?
$12.91 an hour on average, and $12.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $21,420, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $23,713 a year ($1,976 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $26,840. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.85, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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