SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Utica
Utica-Rome, NY · 8 metro areas compared
At $33,100, median pay for Cooks, Fast Food in Utica, NY tracks the national median of $30,890 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $33,100, median pay for Cooks, Fast Food in Utica, NY tracks the national median of $30,890 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $32,240 and $34,910. The lowest tenth earn under $32,240, while the highest tenth earn more than $37,760.
The area has 150 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.31 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Kingston leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,150. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 342nd of 351 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,240 | +4.4% |
| 25th | $32,240 | +4.4% |
| Median (50th) | $33,100 | +7.2% |
| 75th | $34,910 | +13.0% |
| 90th | $37,760 | +22.2% |
| Mean | $34,590 | +12.0% |
Other metro areas in New York
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingston | $37,150 | 40 | |
| 2 | New York | $35,780 | 10,410 | |
| 3 | Glens Falls | $35,490 | 40 | |
| 4 | Syracuse | $34,490 | 330 | |
| 5 | Binghamton | $34,290 | 70 | |
| 6 | Buffalo | $33,690 | 600 | |
| 7 | Rochester | $33,380 | 920 | |
| 8 | Albany | $32,240 | 560 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Utica run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $33,100 buys what $30,677 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 0.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$33,100as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$30,677US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $33,100 a year, 7.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,240 to $37,760 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 150 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Kingston, at $37,150.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Utica, NY?
The median annual wage is $33,100, or $15.91 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 Utica, NY is 7.2% 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 Utica, NY earns more than $37,760 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,240 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 Kingston, at $37,150 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 150 jobs in this occupation in Utica, NY. 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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