Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Wisconsin
Cooks, Fast Food in Wisconsin have a median of $28,920 a year, below the national $30,890 (−6%); the state ranks 34th of 51 states by median. That is 42% less than the median across all occupations in Wisconsin ($50,270). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan pay more (up to $34,960 in Illinois) and Iowa pays less (down to $28,510 in Iowa). Wisconsin employs 6,900 cooks, fast food, 2.35 per 1,000 jobs, the 26th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.57 means it is less common in Wisconsin than nationally.
Wisconsin vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $10.84 | $13.33 | $13.90 | $15.82 | $16.79 | $14.09 | 6,900 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $22,550 | $27,730 | $28,920 | $32,910 | $34,920 | $29,310 | ||||
| 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
- 34th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 26th of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 0.57
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.35
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin
13 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $17.49 | $36,380 | $24,550 | $39,560 | 3,550 | 1.82 | 0.44 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $14.80 | $30,790 | $24,270 | $36,770 | 240 | 1.95 | 0.47 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $14.39 | $29,930 | $20,610 | $35,760 | 110 | 1.64 | 0.40 |
| Madison, WI | $14.25 | $29,640 | $18,450 | $35,870 | 960 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| Wausau, WI | $14.23 | $29,600 | $26,920 | $33,700 | 130 | 1.81 | 0.44 |
| Kenosha, WI | $13.99 | $29,100 | $23,340 | $34,240 | 240 | 3.17 | 0.77 |
| Appleton, WI | $13.97 | $29,050 | $24,460 | $34,640 | 280 | 2.26 | 0.55 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $13.90 | $28,910 | $22,030 | $35,530 | 2,230 | 2.71 | 0.66 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $13.85 | $28,810 | $26,960 | $34,480 | 170 | 2.29 | 0.56 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $13.82 | $28,750 | $22,760 | $35,920 | 150 | 3.33 | 0.81 |
| Green Bay, WI | $13.82 | $28,740 | $22,960 | $33,650 | 380 | 2.16 | 0.52 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $13.80 | $28,700 | $27,810 | $35,050 | 230 | 2.66 | 0.65 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $13.74 | $28,590 | $23,380 | $34,150 | 180 | 2.13 | 0.52 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $14.30 | $29,740 | $22,550 | $34,400 | 550 | 2.63 | 0.64 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $13.85 | $28,800 | $22,550 | $32,910 | 460 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $13.47 | $28,010 | $21,430 | $32,910 | 70 | 1.37 | 0.33 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.