Fast Food and Counter Workers pay in the United States
What this work is
Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages.
Where the money actually goes furthest
California pays the most both before and after cost of living — $42,280, worth $38,186 once local prices are counted.
Pay by state
54 states and territories publish a median for this occupation. Switch the ranking to see how much the order changes.
Adjusted for what things cost in that state.
| State | Hourly | Annual | Worth locally | After state tax | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $20.33/hr | $42,280 | $38,186 | $41,427 | 449,840 |
| Vermont | $17.32/hr | $36,030 | $36,780 | $35,057 | 6,830 |
| Maine | $16.69/hr | $34,710 | $35,765 | $33,543 | 17,250 |
| Washington | $18.13/hr | $37,710 | $35,239 | $37,710 | 94,710 |
| Colorado | $17.44/hr | $36,270 | $35,196 | $35,349 | 82,010 |
| Connecticut | $17.01/hr | $35,380 | $34,147 | $34,037 | 35,720 |
| District of Columbia | $18.00/hr | $37,430 | $34,058 | $36,260 | 5,500 |
| Arizona | $16.46/hr | $34,230 | $33,998 | $33,739 | 77,210 |
| Illinois | $16.30/hr | $33,910 | $33,923 | $32,368 | 127,590 |
| Oregon | $16.85/hr | $35,050 | $33,910 | $32,524 | 59,920 |
| Massachusetts | $17.24/hr | $35,850 | $33,897 | $34,057 | 85,810 |
| North Dakota | $14.46/hr | $30,080 | $33,812 | $30,080 | 11,470 |
| Missouri | $14.61/hr | $30,390 | $33,461 | $29,818 | 29,360 |
| South Dakota | $14.18/hr | $29,490 | $33,288 | $29,490 | 15,150 |
| New York | $16.95/hr | $35,250 | $32,663 | $33,916 | 168,620 |
| Alaska | $16.00/hr | $33,280 | $32,512 | $33,280 | 5,900 |
| Iowa | $13.65/hr | $28,390 | $32,349 | $27,865 | 40,290 |
| Nebraska | $13.94/hr | $29,000 | $32,186 | $28,315 | 30,060 |
| Maryland | $16.18/hr | $33,660 | $32,069 | $32,241 | 49,380 |
| Hawaii | $16.95/hr | $35,250 | $32,060 | $33,925 | 24,130 |
| Nevada | $15.36/hr | $31,950 | $31,956 | $31,950 | 45,850 |
| Minnesota | $15.08/hr | $31,370 | $31,808 | $30,471 | 58,970 |
| New Jersey | $16.42/hr | $34,150 | $31,384 | $33,622 | 93,730 |
| Delaware | $15.05/hr | $31,300 | $31,359 | $30,129 | 13,310 |
| New Mexico | $13.80/hr | $28,700 | $31,124 | $28,331 | 28,250 |
| Indiana | $13.84/hr | $28,790 | $30,847 | $27,956 | 97,290 |
| Rhode Island | $15.14/hr | $31,490 | $30,788 | $30,704 | 13,310 |
| Montana | $13.98/hr | $29,090 | $30,734 | $28,408 | 14,960 |
| Ohio | $13.67/hr | $28,430 | $30,645 | $28,364 | 163,560 |
| Kansas | $13.26/hr | $27,580 | $30,620 | $26,329 | 47,140 |
| Wisconsin | $13.75/hr | $28,600 | $30,393 | $28,055 | 67,750 |
| New Hampshire | $15.19/hr | $31,590 | $30,325 | $31,590 | 14,540 |
| Idaho | $13.91/hr | $28,940 | $30,306 | $28,179 | 25,810 |
| North Carolina | $13.74/hr | $28,570 | $30,287 | $27,897 | 92,230 |
| Arkansas | $12.62/hr | $26,250 | $30,193 | $25,403 | 35,660 |
| Kentucky | $13.04/hr | $27,130 | $30,090 | $26,171 | 41,860 |
| Michigan | $13.91/hr | $28,930 | $30,066 | $27,938 | 103,130 |
| Wyoming | $13.40/hr | $27,860 | $30,057 | $27,860 | 7,060 |
| Tennessee | $13.21/hr | $27,470 | $29,900 | $27,470 | 90,690 |
| Virginia | $14.48/hr | $30,110 | $29,782 | $29,124 | 104,460 |
| South Carolina | $13.23/hr | $27,520 | $29,354 | $27,239 | 65,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.74/hr | $28,570 | $29,281 | $27,692 | 142,220 |
| West Virginia | $12.54/hr | $26,070 | $29,128 | $25,368 | 6,240 |
| Utah | $13.78/hr | $28,670 | $29,000 | $27,365 | 52,340 |
| Texas | $13.34/hr | $27,740 | $28,580 | $27,740 | 460,530 |
| Florida | $13.98/hr | $29,080 | $28,121 | $29,080 | 235,400 |
| Georgia | $12.94/hr | $26,920 | $27,957 | $26,145 | 145,030 |
| Alabama | $11.40/hr | $23,700 | $26,683 | $22,705 | 41,460 |
| Oklahoma | $11.27/hr | $23,430 | $26,673 | $22,807 | 52,520 |
| Mississippi | $10.87/hr | $22,610 | $26,003 | $21,716 | 31,220 |
| Louisiana | $10.96/hr | $22,800 | $25,847 | $22,491 | 45,720 |
| Virgin Islands | $11.74/hr | $24,410 | Not published | Not published | 840 |
| Puerto Rico | $10.59/hr | $22,030 | Not published | Not published | 26,440 |
| Guam | $9.99/hr | $20,770 | Not published | Not published | 1,130 |
National median for comparison: $31,200. “Worth locally” divides pay by the area’s price level, so a figure above the headline means money goes further there than the US average.
$15.00/hr an hour, national median
Across the states
25th to 75th percentile, lowest and highest state
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