Cooks, Fast Food salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Cooks, Fast Food in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $35,360 a year ($17.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 10,460 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $41,480 for the top 10%. That is 14% higher than the national median of $30,890. Pay here is 1% higher than the Illinois statewide median of $34,960. There are 2.3 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.56). The average (mean) salary is $36,000, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 25th percentile | $33,040 | $15.89 |
| Median | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| 75th percentile | $37,710 | $18.13 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $41,480 | $19.94 |
| Average (mean) | $36,000 | $17.31 |
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 | $2,946.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,473.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,360 |
| Weekly | $680 |
| Hourly | $17.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $35,360 salary, see how much house you can afford in Illinois 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $33,380 | 310 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $32,840 | 230 |
| Peoria, IL | $32,340 | 340 |
| Kankakee, IL | $31,900 | 80 |
| Bloomington, IL | $31,430 | 170 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $30,860 | 17,700 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $30,500 | 2,260 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $30,460 | 790 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $29,540 | 270 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $29,540 | 560 |
| Bloomington, IN | $29,290 | 190 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $28,930 | 4,930 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $28,820 | 1,070 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $27,800 | 180 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $26,990 | 5,060 |
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 Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $38,930 | $18.72 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,410 | $17.02 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $37,440 | $18.00 |
| Cooks, All Other | $35,940 | $17.28 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,630 | $16.65 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| Bartender | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,720 | $15.25 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| Dishwasher | $36,850 | $17.71 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $60,770 | $29.22 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $35,360 a year, or $17.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $41,480 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $41,480 a year. The top 25% earn $37,710 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,200 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $33,040 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 10,460 cooks, fast food are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.