Cooks, Fast Food salary in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Cooks, Fast Food in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area earn a median of $25,050 a year ($12.05 an hour), based on BLS data for 490 workers.
Pay ranges from $18,470 for the lowest-paid 10% to $35,000 for the top 10%. That is 19% lower than the national median of $30,890. Pay here is 11% lower than the Texas statewide median of $28,280. There are 3.1 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.76). The average (mean) salary is $26,260, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $18,470 | $8.88 |
| 25th percentile | $22,680 | $10.90 |
| Median | $25,050 | $12.05 |
| 75th percentile | $31,320 | $15.06 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $35,000 | $16.83 |
| Average (mean) | $26,260 | $12.63 |
Half of cooks, fast food earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,087.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,043.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $963.46 |
| Weekly | $481.73 |
| Hourly | $12.05 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $25,050 salary, see how much house you can afford in Texas at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $38,560 | 4,540 |
| Midland, TX | $31,240 | 300 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $30,110 | 4,470 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $30,010 | 6,490 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $29,230 | 590 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $29,020 | 510 |
| Longview, TX | $28,990 | 540 |
| Odessa, TX | $27,520 | 210 |
| Waco, TX | $27,470 | 500 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $26,740 | 1,040 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $26,660 | 190 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $26,610 | 420 |
| Amarillo, TX | $26,100 | 440 |
| Abilene, TX | $25,780 | 280 |
| Lubbock, TX | $25,500 | 590 |
| San Angelo, TX | $24,960 | n/a |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $24,500 | 230 |
| El Paso, TX | $24,390 | 1,140 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $23,090 | 7,950 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| California | $42,050 |
| Washington | $39,120 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| Vermont | $38,230 |
| Oregon | $37,880 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 |
| Colorado | $36,900 |
| Maine | $36,350 |
See Cooks, Fast Food pay in every state or the Texas statewide figures.
Related jobs in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $28,670 | $13.79 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $26,180 | $12.59 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $32,950 | $15.84 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $22,500 | $10.82 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $21,010 | $10.10 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $29,670 | $14.27 |
| Bartender | $18,340 | $8.82 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $19,290 | $9.27 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $22,920 | $11.02 |
| Dishwasher | $23,670 | $11.38 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $47,850 | $23.01 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area is $25,050 a year, or $12.05 an hour. Pay ranges from $18,470 for the lowest-paid 10% to $35,000 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area earn at least $35,000 a year. The top 25% earn $31,320 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $18,470 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $22,680 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
About 490 cooks, fast food are employed in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area, not counting the self-employed.