Cooks, Fast Food Salary in West Virginia
In West Virginia, cooks, fast food earn a median $23,120 a year, well below the national median of $30,890 (−25%); the state ranks 50th of 51 states by median. That is 49% less than the median across all occupations in West Virginia ($45,300). Every neighbouring state pays more: Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky range from $23,500 in Kentucky to $33,320 in Maryland. West Virginia employs 16,490 cooks, fast food, 23.5 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 5.70 means the occupation is more concentrated in West Virginia than nationally.
West Virginia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $10.39 | $10.72 | $11.12 | $12.83 | $13.61 | $11.89 | 16,490 | 23.50 | 5.70 |
| Annual | $21,600 | $22,290 | $23,120 | $26,680 | $28,300 | $24,720 | ||||
| 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
- 50th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 5.70
- Jobs per 1,000
- 23.50
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of West Virginia'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 West Virginia
9 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching West Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $17.21 | $35,800 | $31,200 | $47,000 | 10,580 | 3.37 | 0.82 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $13.67 | $28,430 | $23,330 | $35,150 | 260 | 3.91 | 0.95 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $13.28 | $27,620 | $23,030 | $35,310 | 1,400 | 13.07 | 3.17 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $11.40 | $23,710 | $22,470 | $28,050 | 450 | 12.51 | 3.03 |
| Charleston, WV | $11.14 | $23,180 | $22,170 | $27,820 | 2,230 | 21.51 | 5.22 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $11.11 | $23,110 | $22,120 | $28,180 | 810 | 13.92 | 3.38 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $10.95 | $22,780 | $21,550 | $27,610 | 1,120 | 30.89 | 7.49 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $10.87 | $22,610 | $21,010 | $27,680 | 3,070 | 21.82 | 5.29 |
| Beckley, WV | $10.76 | $22,370 | $21,120 | $26,920 | 1,170 | 27.27 | 6.61 |
| Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $11.07 | $23,030 | $21,410 | $27,540 | 1,950 | 25.64 | 6.22 |
| Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $11.04 | $22,970 | $21,600 | $27,910 | 3,760 | 25.80 | 6.26 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $11.12 | $23,120 | 16,490 | 5.70 |
| Kentucky | $11.30 | $23,500 | 21,750 | 2.64 |
| Maryland | $16.02 | $33,320 | 10,960 | 0.96 |
| Ohio | $12.92 | $26,870 | 12,310 | 0.54 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.85 | $28,810 | 9,240 | 0.37 |
| Virginia | $14.40 | $29,950 | 12,520 | 0.74 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.