Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Pennsylvania
Cooks, Fast Food in Pennsylvania have a median of $28,810 a year, below the national $30,890 (−7%); the state ranks 35th of 51 states by median. That is 42% less than the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Among neighbouring states, New York, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware pay more (up to $35,770 in New York) and Ohio and West Virginia pay less (down to $23,120 in West Virginia). Pennsylvania employs 9,240 cooks, fast food, 1.52 per 1,000 jobs, the 19th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.37 means it is less common in Pennsylvania than nationally.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $10.87 | $12.08 | $13.85 | $17.12 | $20.37 | $14.70 | 9,240 | 1.52 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $22,610 | $25,120 | $28,810 | $35,610 | $42,380 | $30,580 | ||||
| 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
- 35th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 19th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 0.37
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.52
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania
11 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $15.49 | $32,220 | $24,850 | $46,430 | 4,010 | 1.38 | 0.34 |
| State College, PA | $13.95 | $29,020 | $22,290 | $36,920 | 170 | 2.44 | 0.59 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $13.83 | $28,760 | $23,690 | $44,060 | 530 | 1.40 | 0.34 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $13.71 | $28,520 | $22,860 | $36,280 | 480 | 2.60 | 0.63 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $13.39 | $27,840 | $22,420 | $37,130 | 340 | 1.34 | 0.32 |
| Lancaster, PA | $13.11 | $27,260 | $23,120 | $36,690 | 460 | 1.84 | 0.45 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $13.02 | $27,070 | $22,960 | $42,700 | 510 | 1.53 | 0.37 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $12.80 | $26,620 | $17,810 | $38,720 | 1,620 | 1.45 | 0.35 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $12.77 | $26,550 | $21,840 | $34,420 | 180 | 3.04 | 0.74 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $12.67 | $26,350 | $22,350 | $41,720 | 80 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| Altoona, PA | $12.03 | $25,020 | $20,650 | $37,890 | 110 | 1.85 | 0.45 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $12.23 | $25,450 | $22,060 | $37,930 | 210 | 1.60 | 0.39 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $13.85 | $28,810 | 9,240 | 0.37 |
| Delaware | $15.31 | $31,840 | 850 | 0.43 |
| Maryland | $16.02 | $33,320 | 10,960 | 0.96 |
| New Jersey | $15.49 | $32,220 | 3,440 | 0.19 |
| New York | $17.20 | $35,770 | 11,710 | 0.29 |
| Ohio | $12.92 | $26,870 | 12,310 | 0.54 |
| West Virginia | $11.12 | $23,120 | 16,490 | 5.70 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.