Fast food and counter workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22,840 | $10.98 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Mean (average) | $32,150 | $15.46 |
| 90th percentile | $42,650 | $20.51 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Fast food and counter workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $23,700 | $21,080 | $32,740 | 41,460 | 0.79 |
| Alaska | $33,280 | $24,830 | $45,170 | 5,900 | 0.73 |
| Arizona | $34,230 | $30,760 | $43,990 | 77,210 | 0.96 |
| Arkansas | $26,250 | $23,240 | $32,120 | 35,660 | 1.1 |
| California | $42,280 | $35,530 | $47,950 | 449,840 | 1 |
| Colorado | $36,270 | $31,040 | $44,100 | 82,010 | 1.15 |
| Connecticut | $35,380 | $34,010 | $39,660 | 35,720 | 0.85 |
| Delaware | $31,300 | $31,200 | $37,530 | 13,310 | 1.11 |
| District of Columbia | $37,430 | $37,260 | $46,800 | 5,500 | 0.32 |
| Florida | $29,080 | $27,570 | $36,430 | 235,400 | 0.96 |
| Georgia | $26,920 | $20,910 | $36,110 | 145,030 | 1.2 |
| Guam | $20,770 | $20,490 | $22,140 | 1,130 | 0.68 |
| Hawaii | $35,250 | $29,120 | $45,140 | 24,130 | 1.55 |
| Idaho | $28,940 | $20,130 | $36,330 | 25,810 | 1.21 |
| Illinois | $33,910 | $31,200 | $37,330 | 127,590 | 0.84 |
| Indiana | $28,790 | $22,110 | $35,820 | 97,290 | 1.23 |
| Iowa | $28,390 | $21,620 | $35,990 | 40,290 | 1.04 |
| Kansas | $27,580 | $21,620 | $34,280 | 47,140 | 1.32 |
| Kentucky | $27,130 | $21,590 | $34,420 | 41,860 | 0.84 |
| Louisiana | $22,800 | $18,610 | $33,320 | 45,720 | 0.95 |
| Maine | $34,710 | $30,740 | $42,640 | 17,250 | 1.09 |
| Maryland | $33,660 | $31,200 | $37,390 | 49,380 | 0.72 |
| Massachusetts | $35,850 | $31,290 | $38,700 | 85,810 | 0.95 |
| Michigan | $28,930 | $25,960 | $35,970 | 103,130 | 0.94 |
| Minnesota | $31,370 | $28,190 | $37,140 | 58,970 | 0.81 |
| Mississippi | $22,610 | $18,530 | $29,090 | 31,220 | 1.08 |
| Missouri | $30,390 | $28,600 | $36,830 | 29,360 | 0.4 |
| Montana | $29,090 | $22,760 | $36,780 | 14,960 | 1.18 |
| Nebraska | $29,000 | $28,080 | $35,760 | 30,060 | 1.18 |
| Nevada | $31,950 | $26,630 | $42,860 | 45,850 | 1.19 |
| New Hampshire | $31,590 | $22,580 | $38,440 | 14,540 | 0.86 |
| New Jersey | $34,150 | $32,220 | $39,130 | 93,730 | 0.88 |
| New Mexico | $28,700 | $26,670 | $36,360 | 28,250 | 1.31 |
| New York | $35,250 | $32,240 | $44,740 | 168,620 | 0.7 |
| North Carolina | $28,570 | $21,800 | $36,820 | 92,230 | 0.75 |
| North Dakota | $30,080 | $22,750 | $37,380 | 11,470 | 1.08 |
| Ohio | $28,430 | $23,200 | $34,920 | 163,560 | 1.19 |
| Oklahoma | $23,430 | $20,510 | $30,300 | 52,520 | 1.24 |
| Oregon | $35,050 | $30,950 | $44,370 | 59,920 | 1.23 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,570 | $22,030 | $35,880 | 142,220 | 0.95 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,030 | $21,840 | $23,000 | 26,440 | 1.14 |
| Rhode Island | $31,490 | $31,200 | $36,540 | 13,310 | 1.07 |
| South Carolina | $27,520 | $22,340 | $35,020 | 65,070 | 1.14 |
| South Dakota | $29,490 | $27,880 | $36,380 | 15,150 | 1.34 |
| Tennessee | $27,470 | $21,850 | $35,060 | 90,690 | 1.12 |
| Texas | $27,740 | $21,710 | $35,680 | 460,530 | 1.32 |
| Utah | $28,670 | $21,980 | $36,670 | 52,340 | 1.22 |
| Vermont | $36,030 | $30,450 | $46,080 | 6,830 | 0.91 |
| Virgin Islands | $24,410 | $23,330 | $26,780 | 840 | 1.05 |
| Virginia | $30,110 | $27,130 | $37,550 | 104,460 | 1.03 |
| Washington | $37,710 | $35,050 | $47,860 | 94,710 | 1.08 |
| West Virginia | $26,070 | $18,750 | $35,150 | 6,240 | 0.36 |
| Wisconsin | $28,600 | $22,240 | $36,090 | 67,750 | 0.93 |
| Wyoming | $27,860 | $20,300 | $37,020 | 7,060 | 1.01 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for fast food and counter workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 827,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for fast food and counter workers
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
- Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
- Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper.
- Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
- Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
- Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars.
- Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
- Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
- Compris software
- Foodman Home-Delivery
- Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
- MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
- Menu and nutrition database software
- NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
- NCR NeighborhoodPOS
- Plexis Software Plexis POS
- Quizlet
- RestaurantPlus PRO
- The General Store
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Cafe Server, Cafeteria Server, Cafeteria Worker, Counter Worker, Deli Worker (Delicatessen Worker), Dietary Aide, Food Server, Food Service Worker, Server, Snack Bar Attendant.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fast food and counter workers make?
The national median annual wage for fast food and counter workers was $31,200 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $22,840 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $42,650. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do fast food and counter workers need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is fast food and counter workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of fast food and counter workers to change +5.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 827,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay fast food and counter workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($42,280), Washington ($37,710), District of Columbia ($37,430). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.