Salaries › Fast Food Worker
Fast Food Worker Salary by State (2026)
Fast Food Workers (Fast Food and Counter Workers) hold 3,854,060 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $31,499 per year, but the median ranges from $22,610 in Mississippi to $42,280 in California. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Fast Food Worker salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| 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 |
| Alabama | $23,700 | 41,460 |
| Oklahoma | $23,430 | 52,520 |
| Louisiana | $22,800 | 45,720 |
| Mississippi | $22,610 | 31,220 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Fast Food Worker salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Fast Food Worker salary in the US is about $31,499 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 3,854,060 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Fast Food Workers the most?
- California has the highest median Fast Food Worker salary at $42,280 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Fast Food Workers the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $22,610 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Fast Food and Counter Workers, code 35-3023). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.