Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Georgia
Cooks, Fast Food in Georgia have a median of $26,940 a year, below the national $30,890 (−13%); the state ranks 45th of 51 states by median. That is 44% less than the median across all occupations in Georgia ($48,170). Every neighbouring state pays more: Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina range from $27,190 in North Carolina to $29,900 in Florida. Georgia employs 12,940 cooks, fast food, 2.65 per 1,000 jobs, the 12th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.64 means it is less common in Georgia than nationally.
Georgia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $10.00 | $10.52 | $12.95 | $15.42 | $17.70 | $13.25 | 12,940 | 2.65 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $20,800 | $21,880 | $26,940 | $32,060 | $36,810 | $27,560 | ||||
| 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
- 45th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 12th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 0.64
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.65
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Georgia'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 Georgia
10 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Georgia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, GA | $13.41 | $27,890 | $20,800 | $34,720 | 290 | 2.82 | 0.68 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $12.95 | $26,940 | $20,800 | $36,850 | 7,100 | 2.46 | 0.60 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $12.94 | $26,920 | $19,100 | $36,150 | 280 | 3.65 | 0.89 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $12.93 | $26,890 | $18,980 | $35,420 | 940 | 3.50 | 0.85 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $12.88 | $26,780 | $21,630 | $37,620 | 880 | 3.81 | 0.92 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $12.86 | $26,750 | $18,980 | $36,520 | 180 | 3.84 | 0.93 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $12.77 | $26,560 | $21,040 | $33,620 | 790 | 6.83 | 1.66 |
| Valdosta, GA | $11.36 | $23,640 | $18,040 | $34,000 | 270 | 5.04 | 1.22 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | $11.12 | $23,140 | $18,940 | $31,440 | 380 | 4.04 | 0.98 |
| Albany, GA | $10.84 | $22,550 | $18,060 | $36,570 | 190 | 3.30 | 0.80 |
| East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $10.76 | $22,380 | $17,590 | $31,530 | 310 | 3.50 | 0.85 |
| South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $10.70 | $22,250 | $18,540 | $32,680 | 550 | 2.85 | 0.69 |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $10.59 | $22,020 | $17,460 | $30,710 | ** | ** | ** |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $12.95 | $26,940 | 12,940 | 0.64 |
| Alabama | $13.40 | $27,870 | 26,740 | 3.07 |
| Florida | $14.37 | $29,900 | 22,600 | 0.55 |
| North Carolina | $13.07 | $27,190 | 81,980 | 4.02 |
| South Carolina | $13.18 | $27,420 | 9,110 | 0.96 |
| Tennessee | $13.62 | $28,330 | 14,020 | 1.04 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Georgia 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 Georgia estimates.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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.