SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI · 10 metro areas compared
At $29,300, median pay for Cooks, Fast Food in Kalamazoo, MI tracks the national median of $30,890 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $29,300, median pay for Cooks, Fast Food in Kalamazoo, MI tracks the national median of $30,890 closely. Pay ranges from under $25,960 at the tenth percentile to more than $33,740 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $27,160 to $33,280.
Employment stands at 440, or 3.6 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Detroit records the highest median at $29,810. Of the 346 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 338th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25,960 | −16.0% |
| 25th | $27,160 | −12.1% |
| Median (50th) | $29,300 | −5.1% |
| 75th | $33,280 | +7.7% |
| 90th | $33,740 | +9.2% |
| Mean | $30,280 | −2.0% |
Other metro areas in Michigan
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | $29,810 | 5,930 | |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $29,690 | 420 | |
| 3 | Jackson | $29,460 | 330 | |
| 4 | Grand Rapids | $28,980 | 1,740 | |
| 5 | Muskegon | $28,820 | 570 | |
| 6 | Traverse City | $28,740 | 300 | |
| 7 | Flint | $28,510 | 560 | |
| 8 | Lansing | $28,400 | 730 | |
| 9 | Niles | $28,240 | 320 | |
| 10 | Monroe | $27,120 | 240 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Kalamazoo run 3.8% below the national average, so the median of $29,300 goes as far as $30,457 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 1.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$29,300as reported by BLSLocal price level
96.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$30,457US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $29,300 a year, 5.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $25,960 to $33,740 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 440 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Detroit, at $29,810.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Kalamazoo, MI?
The median annual wage is $29,300, or $14.09 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 Kalamazoo, MI is 5.1% lower. 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 Kalamazoo, MI earns more than $33,740 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $25,960 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 Detroit, at $29,810 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 440 jobs in this occupation in Kalamazoo, MI. 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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