Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,870 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Madison earn between $27,540 and $34,020.
- $18K10th
- $28K25th
- $30KMedian
- $34K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $29,490 | $2,458 | $14.18 |
| Median | $29,640 | $2,470 | $14.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,540 | $2,295 | $13.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,020 | $2,835 | $16.36 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Madison vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Madison earn about the same as the Wisconsin average ($29,310) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $29,490 | $29,640 | $18,450 | $35,870 | 960 |
| Wisconsin | $29,310 | $28,920 | $22,550 | $34,920 | 6,900 |
| 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 Madison
On the average salary of $29,490, a single filer in Madison takes home about $25,309 a year, or $2,109 a month and $973 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Madison a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $29,490 buys what about $30,312 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 15.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Wisconsin cities
Madison ranks 6th of 11 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Racine pays the most ($30,020).
- Racine$30,020
- Appleton$29,960
- Wausau$29,780
- Eau Claire$29,760
- Kenosha$29,530
- Madison$29,490
- La Crosse$29,430
- Fond du Lac$29,330
- Green Bay$29,320
- Janesville$29,250
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 Madison: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Madison?
$14.18 an hour on average, and $14.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,540, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Madison?
About $25,309 a year ($2,109 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $29,490.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Madison, WI (31540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.2%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.57, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.57).
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