Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for fast food and counter workers is $31,200, or $15.00 per hour. About 3,854,050 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $42,280 in California to $22,610 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $42,280 | $20.33 | 449,840 | 1.00 |
| 2 | Washington | $37,710 | $18.13 | 94,710 | 1.08 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $37,430 | $18.00 | 5,500 | 0.32 |
| 4 | Colorado | $36,270 | $17.44 | 82,010 | 1.15 |
| 5 | Vermont | $36,030 | $17.32 | 6,830 | 0.91 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $35,850 | $17.24 | 85,810 | 0.95 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $35,380 | $17.01 | 35,720 | 0.85 |
| 8 | New York | $35,250 | $16.95 | 168,620 | 0.70 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $35,250 | $16.95 | 24,130 | 1.55 |
| 10 | Oregon | $35,050 | $16.85 | 59,920 | 1.23 |
| 11 | Maine | $34,710 | $16.69 | 17,250 | 1.09 |
| 12 | Arizona | $34,230 | $16.46 | 77,210 | 0.96 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $34,150 | $16.42 | 93,730 | 0.88 |
| 14 | Illinois | $33,910 | $16.30 | 127,590 | 0.84 |
| 15 | Maryland | $33,660 | $16.18 | 49,380 | 0.72 |
| 16 | Alaska | $33,280 | $16.00 | 5,900 | 0.73 |
| 17 | Nevada | $31,950 | $15.36 | 45,850 | 1.19 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $31,590 | $15.19 | 14,540 | 0.86 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $31,490 | $15.14 | 13,310 | 1.07 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $31,370 | $15.08 | 58,970 | 0.81 |
| 21 | Delaware | $31,300 | $15.05 | 13,310 | 1.11 |
| 22 | Missouri | $30,390 | $14.61 | 29,360 | 0.40 |
| 23 | Virginia | $30,110 | $14.48 | 104,460 | 1.03 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $30,080 | $14.46 | 11,470 | 1.08 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $29,490 | $14.18 | 15,150 | 1.34 |
| 26 | Montana | $29,090 | $13.98 | 14,960 | 1.18 |
| 27 | Florida | $29,080 | $13.98 | 235,400 | 0.96 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $29,000 | $13.94 | 30,060 | 1.18 |
| 29 | Idaho | $28,940 | $13.91 | 25,810 | 1.21 |
| 30 | Michigan | $28,930 | $13.91 | 103,130 | 0.94 |
| 31 | Indiana | $28,790 | $13.84 | 97,290 | 1.23 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $28,700 | $13.80 | 28,250 | 1.31 |
| 33 | Utah | $28,670 | $13.78 | 52,340 | 1.22 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $28,600 | $13.75 | 67,750 | 0.93 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $28,570 | $13.74 | 142,220 | 0.95 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $28,570 | $13.74 | 92,230 | 0.75 |
| 37 | Ohio | $28,430 | $13.67 | 163,560 | 1.19 |
| 38 | Iowa | $28,390 | $13.65 | 40,290 | 1.04 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $27,860 | $13.40 | 7,060 | 1.01 |
| 40 | Texas | $27,740 | $13.34 | 460,530 | 1.32 |
| 41 | Kansas | $27,580 | $13.26 | 47,140 | 1.32 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $27,520 | $13.23 | 65,070 | 1.14 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $27,470 | $13.21 | 90,690 | 1.12 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $27,130 | $13.04 | 41,860 | 0.84 |
| 45 | Georgia | $26,920 | $12.94 | 145,030 | 1.20 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $26,250 | $12.62 | 35,660 | 1.10 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $26,070 | $12.54 | 6,240 | 0.36 |
| 48 | Alabama | $23,700 | $11.40 | 41,460 | 0.79 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $23,430 | $11.27 | 52,520 | 1.24 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,800 | $10.96 | 45,720 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,610 | $10.87 | 31,220 | 1.08 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fast food and counter workers make?
The median annual wage for fast food and counter workers in the United States is $31,200, or $15.00 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $22,840, and the top 10% earn $42,650.
How many fast food and counter workers are employed in the U.S.?
About 3,854,050 people work as fast food and counter workers nationwide.
Which state pays fast food and counter workers the most?
California pays the most at a median of $42,280, followed by Washington ($37,710) and District of Columbia ($37,430).
Which state pays fast food and counter workers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $22,610.
Where are fast food and counter workers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Hawaii at 1.55×.