SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD-MN · 1 metro areas compared
At $32,970, median pay for Cooks, Fast Food in Sioux Falls, SD tracks the national median of $30,890 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $32,970, median pay for Cooks, Fast Food in Sioux Falls, SD tracks the national median of $30,890 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $30,250 and $33,000. The lowest tenth earn under $25,930, while the highest tenth earn more than $34,260.
Employment stands at 740, or 4.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Rapid City leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $31,190. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 372nd of 395 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25,930 | −16.1% |
| 25th | $30,250 | −2.1% |
| Median (50th) | $32,970 | +6.7% |
| 75th | $33,000 | +6.8% |
| 90th | $34,260 | +10.9% |
| Mean | $31,520 | +2.0% |
Other metro areas in South Dakota
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rapid City | $31,190 | 320 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Sioux Falls run 11.4% below the national average, so the median of $32,970 goes as far as $37,212 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 20.5% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$32,970as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$37,212US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $32,970 a year, 6.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $25,930 to $34,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 740 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Rapid City, at $31,190.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Sioux Falls, SD?
The median annual wage is $32,970, or $15.85 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 Sioux Falls, SD is 6.7% 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 Sioux Falls, SD earns more than $34,260 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $25,930 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 Rapid City, at $31,190 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 740 jobs in this occupation in Sioux Falls, SD. 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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