How much does a fast food worker make?
a year · about $15 an hour
A typical fast food worker in the United States makes $31,200 a year, about $15 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They greet customers, take orders and payments, then prepare or hand out sandwiches, drinks, and other food. Between busy periods, they restock supplies, wash dishes, and clean counters and kitchen areas.
Did you know? BLS projects fast food and counter workers to have more job openings each year than any other U.S. occupation in 2024–34—about 904,300 a year.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $22,840 and $42,650How do you become one?
In the U.S., no diploma or experience is usually needed; federal rules generally allow work from age 14, but teen hours and tasks are limited. New workers learn customer service, food safety, and kitchen jobs through short on-the-job training.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience and skill, location, employer type, and how much responsibility the job includes. The number of hours worked also changes total earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($42,280), lowest in Mississippi ($22,610).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
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Kids' questions
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $22,840 | $31,200 | $42,650 | about 3.9 million |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $42,280 | about 450,000 |
| Washington | $37,710 | about 95,000 |
| District of Columbia | $37,430 | about 6,000 |
| Colorado | $36,270 | about 82,000 |
| Vermont | $36,030 | about 7,000 |
Official definition: 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. Counter attendants who also wait tables are included in “Waiters and Waitresses” (35-3031),
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/print/food-and-beverage-serving-and
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/35-3023.00
- www.dol.gov/general/topic/youthlabor/agerequirements
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2025/article/education-level-and-openings-2024-34.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY