Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Tennessee
Cooks, Fast Food in Tennessee have a median of $28,330 a year, below the national $30,890 (−8%); the state ranks 38th of 51 states by median. That is 40% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia and Missouri pay more (up to $29,950 in Virginia) and Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi pay less (down to $22,670 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 14,020 cooks, fast food, 4.28 per 1,000 jobs, the 10th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.04 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $9.80 | $11.80 | $13.62 | $16.72 | $18.43 | $14.18 | 14,020 | 4.28 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $20,380 | $24,550 | $28,330 | $34,780 | $38,330 | $29,480 | ||||
| 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
- 38th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 10th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 1.04
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.28
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
9 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $16.45 | $34,210 | $22,340 | $38,740 | 4,840 | 4.40 | 1.07 |
| Knoxville, TN | $13.26 | $27,580 | $21,250 | $36,780 | 2,120 | 5.00 | 1.21 |
| Morristown, TN | $13.13 | $27,310 | $19,650 | $34,040 | 240 | 5.07 | 1.23 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $13.09 | $27,230 | $22,040 | $35,030 | 2,270 | 3.72 | 0.90 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $12.95 | $26,930 | $20,120 | $39,400 | 720 | 6.03 | 1.46 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $12.93 | $26,890 | $18,980 | $35,420 | 940 | 3.50 | 0.85 |
| Jackson, TN | $12.71 | $26,430 | $20,470 | $33,980 | 400 | 4.68 | 1.13 |
| Johnson City, TN | $12.71 | $26,430 | $19,060 | $33,280 | 570 | 6.98 | 1.69 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $12.70 | $26,420 | $20,890 | $34,850 | 910 | 8.83 | 2.14 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $13.01 | $27,050 | $20,200 | $34,290 | 470 | 4.31 | 1.05 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.93 | $26,890 | $20,180 | $34,230 | 590 | 5.00 | 1.21 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.77 | $26,570 | $20,180 | $35,770 | 730 | 5.18 | 1.26 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $13.62 | $28,330 | 14,020 | 1.04 |
| Alabama | $13.40 | $27,870 | 26,740 | 3.07 |
| Arkansas | $13.32 | $27,710 | 7,860 | 1.46 |
| Georgia | $12.95 | $26,940 | 12,940 | 0.64 |
| Kentucky | $11.30 | $23,500 | 21,750 | 2.64 |
| Missouri | $14.37 | $29,890 | 55,780 | 4.61 |
| Mississippi | $10.90 | $22,670 | 11,170 | 2.33 |
| North Carolina | $13.07 | $27,190 | 81,980 | 4.02 |
| Virginia | $14.40 | $29,950 | 12,520 | 0.74 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.