SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · 6 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Denver, CO is $38,530 per year, 24.7% 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 Denver, CO is $38,530 per year, 24.7% above the national median of $30,890. Pay ranges from under $34,040 at the tenth percentile to more than $49,570 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,930 to $40,790.
The area has 4,220 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 2.6 of every thousand jobs. Colorado Springs leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $36,560. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 625th of 648 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,040 | +10.2% |
| 25th | $35,930 | +16.3% |
| Median (50th) | $38,530 | +24.7% |
| 75th | $40,790 | +32.0% |
| 90th | $49,570 | +60.5% |
| Mean | $40,450 | +30.9% |
Other metro areas in Colorado
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Springs | $36,560 | 1,340 | |
| 2 | Boulder | $36,250 | 580 | |
| 3 | Greeley | $35,840 | 360 | |
| 4 | Fort Collins | $35,230 | 960 | |
| 5 | Pueblo | $34,180 | 340 | |
| 6 | Grand Junction | $33,980 | 310 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Denver run 3.1% above the national average, so the median of $38,530 buys what $37,371 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 21.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$38,530as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$37,371US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $38,530 a year, 24.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,040 to $49,570 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 4,220 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Colorado Springs, at $36,560.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Denver, CO?
The median annual wage is $38,530, or $18.53 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 Denver, CO is 24.7% 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 Denver, CO earns more than $49,570 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,040 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 Colorado Springs, at $36,560 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 4,220 jobs in this occupation in Denver, CO. 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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