Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in the U.S.
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,854,050 workers.
Pay ranges from $22,840 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,650 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $32,150, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for fast food and counter workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,840 | $10.98 |
| 25th percentile | $27,700 | $13.32 |
| Median | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 75th percentile | $36,070 | $17.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,650 | $20.51 |
| Average (mean) | $32,150 | $15.46 |
Half of fast food and counter workers 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 | $2,600 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,300 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,200 |
| Weekly | $600 |
| Hourly | $15.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $42,280 | 449,840 |
| Washington | $37,710 | 94,710 |
| District of Columbia | $37,430 | 5,500 |
| Colorado | $36,270 | 82,010 |
| Vermont | $36,030 | 6,830 |
| Massachusetts | $35,850 | 85,810 |
| Connecticut | $35,380 | 35,720 |
| Hawaii | $35,250 | 24,130 |
| New York | $35,250 | 168,620 |
| Oregon | $35,050 | 59,920 |
| Maine | $34,710 | 17,250 |
| Arizona | $34,230 | 77,210 |
| New Jersey | $34,150 | 93,730 |
| Illinois | $33,910 | 127,590 |
| Maryland | $33,660 | 49,380 |
| Alaska | $33,280 | 5,900 |
| Nevada | $31,950 | 45,850 |
| New Hampshire | $31,590 | 14,540 |
| Rhode Island | $31,490 | 13,310 |
| Minnesota | $31,370 | 58,970 |
| Delaware | $31,300 | 13,310 |
| Missouri | $30,390 | 29,360 |
| Virginia | $30,110 | 104,460 |
| North Dakota | $30,080 | 11,470 |
| South Dakota | $29,490 | 15,150 |
| Montana | $29,090 | 14,960 |
| Florida | $29,080 | 235,400 |
| Nebraska | $29,000 | 30,060 |
| Idaho | $28,940 | 25,810 |
| Michigan | $28,930 | 103,130 |
| Indiana | $28,790 | 97,290 |
| New Mexico | $28,700 | 28,250 |
| Utah | $28,670 | 52,340 |
| Wisconsin | $28,600 | 67,750 |
| North Carolina | $28,570 | 92,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,570 | 142,220 |
| Ohio | $28,430 | 163,560 |
| Iowa | $28,390 | 40,290 |
| Wyoming | $27,860 | 7,060 |
| Texas | $27,740 | 460,530 |
| Kansas | $27,580 | 47,140 |
| South Carolina | $27,520 | 65,070 |
| Tennessee | $27,470 | 90,690 |
| Kentucky | $27,130 | 41,860 |
| Georgia | $26,920 | 145,030 |
| Arkansas | $26,250 | 35,660 |
| West Virginia | $26,070 | 6,240 |
| Virgin Islands | $24,410 | 840 |
| Alabama | $23,700 | 41,460 |
| Oklahoma | $23,430 | 52,520 |
| Louisiana | $22,800 | 45,720 |
| Mississippi | $22,610 | 31,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,030 | 26,440 |
| Guam | $20,770 | 1,130 |
Best-paying metro areas for fast food and counter workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $45,410 | 1,440 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,570 | 23,060 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,110 | 4,430 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $43,870 | 49,970 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $43,610 | 4,720 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $43,400 | 3,220 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,260 | 4,180 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $42,940 | 5,930 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $42,860 | 24,910 |
| Modesto, CA | $42,630 | 6,700 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,370 | 9,520 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,350 | 3,310 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,280 | 51,310 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,190 | 42,550 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $42,110 | 160,270 |
Metro areas with the most fast food and counter workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 166,040 | $35,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 160,270 | $42,110 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 128,380 | $28,070 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 105,810 | $27,570 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 97,280 | $34,630 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 80,730 | $27,780 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 69,080 | $32,220 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 60,560 | $34,600 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 60,130 | $36,290 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 56,900 | $29,600 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 54,900 | $34,540 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 51,310 | $42,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 49,970 | $43,870 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 49,190 | $39,150 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 42,810 | $37,070 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | $17.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-3023. 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 fast food and counter workers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for fast food and counter workers in the U.S. is $31,200 a year, or $15.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $22,840 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,650 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid fast food and counter workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of fast food and counter workers in the U.S. earn at least $42,650 a year. The top 25% earn $36,070 or more.
What is the starting pay for fast food and counter workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $22,840 a year, and a quarter of fast food and counter workers earn $27,700 or less.
How many fast food and counter workers work in the U.S.?
About 3,854,050 fast food and counter workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.