Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Mississippi
In Mississippi, cooks, fast food earn a median $22,670 a year, well below the national median of $30,890 (−27%); the state ranks 51st of 51 states by median. That is 43% less than the median across all occupations in Mississippi ($40,120). Every neighbouring state pays more: Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana range from $24,960 in Louisiana to $28,330 in Tennessee. Mississippi employs 11,170 cooks, fast food, 9.61 per 1,000 jobs, the 17th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 2.33 means the occupation is more concentrated in Mississippi than nationally.
Mississippi vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $8.91 | $10.26 | $10.90 | $12.86 | $13.84 | $11.33 | 11,170 | 9.61 | 2.33 |
| Annual | $18,540 | $21,350 | $22,670 | $26,750 | $28,790 | $23,560 | ||||
| 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
- 51st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 17th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 2.33
- Jobs per 1,000
- 9.61
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Mississippi'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 Mississippi
4 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Mississippi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $13.09 | $27,230 | $22,040 | $35,030 | 2,270 | 3.72 | 0.90 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $11.28 | $23,470 | $18,740 | $27,690 | 1,010 | 16.15 | 3.92 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $11.26 | $23,410 | $20,230 | $29,200 | 1,720 | 10.86 | 2.63 |
| Jackson, MS | $10.73 | $22,310 | $18,720 | $28,720 | 2,470 | 9.13 | 2.22 |
| Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $11.01 | $22,900 | $19,100 | $28,730 | 1,990 | 9.29 | 2.25 |
| West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $10.56 | $21,970 | $18,090 | $28,660 | 950 | 10.27 | 2.49 |
| Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $10.51 | $21,860 | $16,980 | $28,430 | 1,180 | 9.54 | 2.31 |
| Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $10.40 | $21,630 | $18,540 | $27,940 | 770 | 9.61 | 2.33 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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.