Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Kentucky
In Kentucky, cooks, fast food earn a median $23,500 a year, well below the national median of $30,890 (−24%); the state ranks 49th of 51 states by median. That is 50% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Virginia, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee and Ohio pay more (up to $34,960 in Illinois) and West Virginia pays less (down to $23,120 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 21,750 cooks, fast food, 10.9 per 1,000 jobs, the 7th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 2.64 means the occupation is more concentrated in Kentucky than nationally.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $10.20 | $10.59 | $11.30 | $13.41 | $14.43 | $12.17 | 21,750 | 10.88 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $21,220 | $22,030 | $23,500 | $27,890 | $30,000 | $25,300 | ||||
| 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
- 49th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 7th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 2.64
- Jobs per 1,000
- 10.88
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky'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 Kentucky
8 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $13.91 | $28,930 | $22,860 | $37,130 | 4,930 | 4.48 | 1.09 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $12.98 | $26,990 | $21,990 | $35,050 | 5,060 | 7.38 | 1.79 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $12.91 | $26,840 | $21,920 | $30,510 | 3,040 | 10.60 | 2.57 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $12.70 | $26,420 | $20,890 | $34,850 | 910 | 8.83 | 2.14 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $11.48 | $23,870 | $21,290 | $29,700 | 660 | 12.76 | 3.10 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $11.28 | $23,450 | $21,430 | $31,290 | 820 | 9.98 | 2.42 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $10.87 | $22,610 | $21,010 | $27,680 | 3,070 | 21.82 | 5.29 |
| Owensboro, KY | $10.70 | $22,260 | $20,990 | $29,140 | 620 | 12.58 | 3.05 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $11.27 | $23,440 | $20,930 | $27,950 | 2,000 | 11.62 | 2.82 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $11.01 | $22,900 | $21,220 | $28,070 | 1,200 | 9.30 | 2.25 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $10.74 | $22,350 | $20,910 | $27,390 | 2,540 | 14.70 | 3.56 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $10.40 | $21,620 | $18,260 | $26,940 | 1,620 | 17.60 | 4.27 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $11.30 | $23,500 | 21,750 | 2.64 |
| Illinois | $16.81 | $34,960 | 13,430 | 0.53 |
| Indiana | $14.36 | $29,870 | 6,830 | 0.52 |
| Missouri | $14.37 | $29,890 | 55,780 | 4.61 |
| Ohio | $12.92 | $26,870 | 12,310 | 0.54 |
| Tennessee | $13.62 | $28,330 | 14,020 | 1.04 |
| Virginia | $14.40 | $29,950 | 12,520 | 0.74 |
| West Virginia | $11.12 | $23,120 | 16,490 | 5.70 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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.