SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Mississippi
Mississippi · 3 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Mississippi is $22,670 per year, substantially below the national median of $30,890 — a gap of 26.6%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Mississippi is $22,670 per year, substantially below the national median of $30,890 — a gap of 26.6%. Half of workers earn between $21,350 and $26,750. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $18,540 and the ninetieth at $28,790.
Employment stands at 11,170, or 9.6 jobs per thousand held locally. Mississippi ranks number 51st out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Hattiesburg records the highest median at $23,470. Of the 673 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 664th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $18,540 | −40.0% |
| 25th | $21,350 | −30.9% |
| Median (50th) | $22,670 | −26.6% |
| 75th | $26,750 | −13.4% |
| 90th | $28,790 | −6.8% |
| Mean | $23,560 | −23.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Mississippi
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattiesburg | $23,470 | 1,010 | |
| 2 | Gulfport | $23,410 | 1,720 | |
| 3 | Jackson | $22,310 | 2,470 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Mississippi run 13.0% below the national average, so the median of $22,670 goes as far as $26,057 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 15.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$22,670as reported by BLSLocal price level
87.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$26,057US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $22,670 a year, 26.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $18,540 to $28,790 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 11,170 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 51st of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Hattiesburg, at $23,470.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Mississippi?
The median annual wage is $22,670, or $10.90 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 Mississippi is 26.6% 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 Mississippi earns more than $28,790 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $18,540 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 Hattiesburg, at $23,470 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 11,170 jobs in this occupation in Mississippi. 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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