SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Colorado
Colorado · 7 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Colorado comes to $36,900 a year, ahead of the national median of $30,890 by 19.5%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Colorado comes to $36,900 a year, ahead of the national median of $30,890 by 19.5%. Pay ranges from under $31,970 at the tenth percentile to more than $46,610 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $34,790 to $38,990.
Employment stands at 9,220, or 3.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Colorado ranks number 9th out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Denver records the highest median at $38,530. Of the 738 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 720th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,970 | +3.5% |
| 25th | $34,790 | +12.6% |
| Median (50th) | $36,900 | +19.5% |
| 75th | $38,990 | +26.2% |
| 90th | $46,610 | +50.9% |
| Mean | $38,400 | +24.3% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Colorado
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | $38,530 | 4,220 | |
| 2 | Colorado Springs | $36,560 | 1,340 | |
| 3 | Boulder | $36,250 | 580 | |
| 4 | Greeley | $35,840 | 360 | |
| 5 | Fort Collins | $35,230 | 960 | |
| 6 | Pueblo | $34,180 | 340 | |
| 7 | Grand Junction | $33,980 | 310 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Colorado run 3.1% above the national average, so the median of $36,900 buys what $35,790 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 15.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$36,900as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$35,790US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $36,900 a year, 19.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $31,970 to $46,610 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 9,220 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 9th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Denver, at $38,530.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Colorado?
The median annual wage is $36,900, or $17.74 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 Colorado is 19.5% 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 Colorado earns more than $46,610 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $31,970 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 Denver, at $38,530 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 9,220 jobs in this occupation in Colorado. Self-employed workers are not included.
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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