SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · 3 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Boston, MA is $41,600 per year, well above the national median of $30,890.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Boston, MA is $41,600 per year, well above the national median of $30,890. The gap of 34.7% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $36,400 at the tenth percentile to more than $48,850 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $37,540 to $44,290.
Barnstable Town leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $39,340. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 630th of 687 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,400 | +17.8% |
| 25th | $37,540 | +21.5% |
| Median (50th) | $41,600 | +34.7% |
| 75th | $44,290 | +43.4% |
| 90th | $48,850 | +58.1% |
| Mean | $41,740 | +35.1% |
Other metro areas in Massachusetts
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnstable Town | $39,340 | — | |
| 2 | Worcester | $36,770 | — | |
| 3 | Springfield | $35,490 | — |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Boston run 5.8% above the national average, so the median of $41,600 buys what $39,319 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 27.3% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$41,600as reported by BLSLocal price level
105.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$39,319US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $41,600 a year, 34.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $36,400 to $48,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Barnstable Town, at $39,340.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Boston, MA?
The median annual wage is $41,600, or $20.00 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $30,890, so pay in Boston, MA is 34.7% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Boston, MA earns more than $48,850 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $36,400 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Barnstable Town, at $39,340 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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