Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Cooks, Fast Food actually take home in Maine?
Progressive (up to 7.1%) — 20.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Cooks, Fast Food earning $36,350 in Maine (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $36,350 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$2,378 | 6.5% |
| Maine State Income Tax | -$2,220 | 6.1% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,253 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$527 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$7,379 | 20.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $28,970 | 79.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Cooks, Fast Food in Maine.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $31,350 | -$6,059 | $25,290 | 19.3% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $33,770 | -$6,698 | $27,071 | 19.8% |
| Median (P50) | $36,350 | -$7,379 | $28,970 | 20.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $37,910 | -$7,791 | $30,118 | 20.6% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $44,280 | -$9,473 | $34,806 | 21.4% |
After federal income tax ($2,378), state tax ($2,220), and FICA ($2,780), a Cooks, Fast Food in Maine takes home $28,970 per year — or $2,414 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.3%, a Cooks, Fast Food in Maine keeps $28,970 of $36,350 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Maine uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Cooks, Fast Food salary the state tax works out to $2,221 (6.1% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Cooks, Fast Food salary is $2,378 (32%), but combined state ($2,221, 30%) + FICA ($2,781, 38%) make up the other 68% of the bill.
A Cooks, Fast Food earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $31,191 — only $2,221 (7.7%) more than in Maine.
For Cooks, Fast Food after-tax pay, Maine ranks #12 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $28,970 net/year works out to $2,414/month or $1,114/bi-weekly for this Cooks, Fast Food in Maine — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Cooks, Fast Food keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Maine ranks #12 out of 51 states for Cooks, Fast Food after-tax take-home pay.
A Cooks, Fast Food in Maine earning a median salary of $36,350 will take home approximately $28,970 per year after federal income tax ($2,378), state income tax ($2,220), and FICA ($2,780). That is $2,414 per month or $1,114 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Cooks, Fast Food in Maine is 20.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 6.5%, Maine state tax 6.1%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Maine has a progressive (up to 7.1%). On a Cooks, Fast Food's median salary of $36,350, the state income tax amounts to $2,220 per year, which is an effective state rate of 6.1%.
After all taxes, a Cooks, Fast Food in Maine takes home approximately $2,414 per month, or about $13.93 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $36,350 for Cooks, Fast Food in Maine, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Maine state income tax (progressive (up to 7.1%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $28,970/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR