Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Nebraska
At $30,430 a year, the median for cooks, fast food in Nebraska is close to the national median of $30,890 (−1%); Nebraska ranks 25th of 51 states by median. That is 38% less than the median across all occupations in Nebraska ($48,980). Among neighbouring states, Colorado and South Dakota pay more (up to $36,900 in Colorado) and Missouri, Wyoming, Kansas and Iowa pay less (down to $28,510 in Iowa). Nebraska employs 2,900 cooks, fast food, 2.83 per 1,000 jobs, the 35th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.69 means it is less common in Nebraska than nationally.
Nebraska vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $13.50 | $13.86 | $14.63 | $16.76 | $17.74 | $15.34 | 2,900 | 2.83 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $28,080 | $28,830 | $30,430 | $34,850 | $36,910 | $31,910 | ||||
| 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
- 25th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 35th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 0.69
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.83
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Nebraska'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 Nebraska
4 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Nebraska 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | $15.01 | $31,220 | $28,080 | $38,100 | 1,480 | 2.96 | 0.72 |
| Grand Island, NE | $14.41 | $29,970 | $28,080 | $38,040 | 90 | 2.30 | 0.56 |
| Lincoln, NE | $14.15 | $29,430 | $28,080 | $36,670 | 760 | 4.19 | 1.02 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $13.65 | $28,390 | $15,630 | $37,160 | 480 | 6.40 | 1.55 |
| Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $14.59 | $30,350 | $28,220 | $34,290 | 140 | 3.55 | 0.86 |
| Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $14.34 | $29,820 | $28,080 | $37,040 | 200 | 2.04 | 0.49 |
| South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $14.28 | $29,700 | $28,080 | $36,420 | 500 | 3.21 | 0.78 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $14.63 | $30,430 | 2,900 | 0.69 |
| Colorado | $17.74 | $36,900 | 9,220 | 0.78 |
| Iowa | $13.71 | $28,510 | 8,290 | 1.29 |
| Kansas | $13.77 | $28,640 | 1,610 | 0.27 |
| Missouri | $14.37 | $29,890 | 55,780 | 4.61 |
| South Dakota | $14.88 | $30,950 | 1,720 | 0.91 |
| Wyoming | $13.92 | $28,950 | 890 | 0.77 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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.