Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Alabama
Cooks, Fast Food in Alabama have a median of $27,870 a year, below the national $30,890 (−10%); the state ranks 40th of 51 states by median. That is 39% less than the median across all occupations in Alabama ($45,670). Among neighbouring states, Florida and Tennessee pay more (up to $29,900 in Florida) and Georgia and Mississippi pay less (down to $22,670 in Mississippi). Alabama employs 26,740 cooks, fast food, 12.7 per 1,000 jobs, the 5th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 3.07 means the occupation is more concentrated in Alabama than nationally.
Alabama vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $10.89 | $11.34 | $13.40 | $14.12 | $16.43 | $13.26 | 26,740 | 12.65 | 3.07 |
| Annual | $22,640 | $23,590 | $27,870 | $29,380 | $34,170 | $27,570 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.86 | $13.11 | $14.85 | $17.92 | $20.63 | $15.57 | 641,070 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,580 | $27,260 | $30,890 | $37,260 | $42,910 | $32,390 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 40th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 5th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 3.07
- Jobs per 1,000
- 12.65
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Alabama's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Alabama
13 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Alabama publish a row for cooks, fast food, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | $14.09 | $29,310 | $23,650 | $35,100 | 2,950 | 11.07 | 2.68 |
| Decatur, AL | $13.69 | $28,480 | $23,560 | $34,660 | 920 | 15.04 | 3.65 |
| Birmingham, AL | $13.62 | $28,320 | $23,800 | $34,650 | 6,120 | 11.77 | 2.85 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $13.48 | $28,030 | $23,150 | $33,400 | 1,500 | 13.86 | 3.36 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $13.46 | $28,000 | $23,050 | $33,730 | 1,080 | 12.40 | 3.01 |
| Mobile, AL | $13.32 | $27,700 | $23,080 | $33,780 | 1,970 | 11.40 | 2.76 |
| Montgomery, AL | $13.30 | $27,650 | $22,640 | $33,360 | 2,130 | 12.90 | 3.13 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $13.04 | $27,120 | $22,600 | $33,140 | 1,220 | 16.73 | 4.06 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $12.90 | $26,820 | $22,410 | $29,910 | 900 | 15.96 | 3.87 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $12.77 | $26,560 | $21,040 | $33,620 | 790 | 6.83 | 1.66 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $12.70 | $26,410 | $22,500 | $30,590 | 820 | 18.91 | 4.59 |
| Dothan, AL | $12.51 | $26,020 | $22,120 | $30,410 | 820 | 13.51 | 3.28 |
| Gadsden, AL | $12.45 | $25,900 | $21,720 | $34,800 | 630 | 18.94 | 4.59 |
| Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $13.04 | $27,130 | $21,830 | $33,600 | 2,220 | 14.55 | 3.53 |
| Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $12.95 | $26,940 | $22,220 | $33,000 | 1,240 | 14.76 | 3.58 |
| Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $11.56 | $24,050 | $21,040 | $33,220 | 950 | 14.02 | 3.40 |
| Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $11.56 | $24,050 | $21,360 | $30,000 | 820 | 12.66 | 3.07 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $13.40 | $27,870 | 26,740 | 3.07 |
| Florida | $14.37 | $29,900 | 22,600 | 0.55 |
| Georgia | $12.95 | $26,940 | 12,940 | 0.64 |
| Mississippi | $10.90 | $22,670 | 11,170 | 2.33 |
| Tennessee | $13.62 | $28,330 | 14,020 | 1.04 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Alabama wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Alabama estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.