Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Cooks, Fast Food actually take home in Virginia?
Progressive (up to 5.8%) — 17.9% 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 $29,950 in Virginia (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $29,950 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$1,610 | 5.4% |
| Virginia State Income Tax | -$1,464 | 4.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$1,856 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$434 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$5,365 | 17.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $24,584 | 82.1% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $27,400 | -$4,718 | $22,681 | 17.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $28,330 | -$4,954 | $23,375 | 17.5% |
| Median (P50) | $29,950 | -$5,365 | $24,584 | 17.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $34,570 | -$6,539 | $28,030 | 18.9% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $37,730 | -$7,341 | $30,388 | 19.5% |
After federal income tax ($1,610), state tax ($1,464), and FICA ($2,291), a Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia takes home $24,584 per year — or $2,048 per month. The effective tax rate of 17.9% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia faces an effective total tax rate of only 17.9%, keeping 82.1% of every gross dollar. That leaves $24,584 net out of $29,950 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
Virginia uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Cooks, Fast Food salary the state tax works out to $1,465 (4.9% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Cooks, Fast Food salary is $1,610 (30%), but combined state ($1,465, 27%) + FICA ($2,291, 43%) make up the other 70% of the bill.
A Cooks, Fast Food earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $26,049 — only $1,465 (6.0%) more than in Virginia.
Virginia ranks #34 of 51 states for Cooks, Fast Food after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $24,584 net/year works out to $2,049/month or $946/bi-weekly for this Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia — 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.
Virginia ranks #34 out of 51 states for Cooks, Fast Food after-tax take-home pay.
A Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia earning a median salary of $29,950 will take home approximately $24,584 per year after federal income tax ($1,610), state income tax ($1,464), and FICA ($2,291). That is $2,048 per month or $945 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia is 17.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 5.4%, Virginia state tax 4.9%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Virginia has a progressive (up to 5.8%). On a Cooks, Fast Food's median salary of $29,950, the state income tax amounts to $1,464 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.9%.
After all taxes, a Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia takes home approximately $2,048 per month, or about $11.82 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 $29,950 for Cooks, Fast Food in Virginia, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Virginia state income tax (progressive (up to 5.8%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $24,584/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
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