Cooks, Fast Food pay in Illinois

In Illinois, the median pay for cooks, fast food is $16.81 an hour ($34,960 a year). About 13,430 people work in this job there.

$16.81Median hourly pay

$31,430–$37,350Middle half of workers, yearly

13,430People in this job in Illinois

That is 13% higher than the U.S. median ($30,890). Illinois ranks 14th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for cooks, fast food in Illinois

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$15.00	$31,200
25% of workers	$15.11	$31,430
Half of workers (median)	$16.81	$34,960
75% of workers	$17.96	$37,350
90% of workers	$19.51	$40,580

Cooks, Fast Food pay in Illinois metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin	$35,360	10,460
Rockford	$33,380	310
Champaign-Urbana	$32,840	230
Peoria	$32,340	340
Kankakee	$31,900	80
Bloomington	$31,430	170

Illinois unemployment rate: 4.7% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for cooks, fast food

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: +0.6% over ten years, little or no change · about 86,400 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in Illinois

Job	Median yearly pay
Fast Food and Counter Workers	$33,910
Cooks, Restaurant	$37,580
Food Preparation Workers	$34,850
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria	$37,440
Bakers	$37,030
Food Batchmakers	$48,130
Butchers and Meat Cutters	$39,240
Cooks, Short Order	$37,440

Other job titles for this job

Cook Line WorkerFast Food CookFast Food FRY CookFood CookFood Service CookFryerFryline AttendantGrill Line CookPizza CookPizza MakerCooks Fast Food

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.