Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Atlantic City, NJ

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area earn a median $33,270 a year — 7% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,418 take-home, or $2,368 a month.

Median salary
$33,270
$16.00 per hour
Typical range
$32,220 – $36,970
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Atlantic City, NJ
5,510
1.32× national concentration
▲3.2%
Pay trend: The median for fast food and counter workers in Atlantic City, NJ rose from $32,250 (May 2024) to $33,270 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 0.8%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in Atlantic City, NJ. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Fast Food and Counter Worker in Atlantic City, NJ
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$28,418
per year · effective tax rate 14.6%
$2,368Monthly
$1,184Twice a month
$1,093Every 2 weeks
$13.66Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,812
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,063
  • Medicare (1.45%)$482
  • New Jersey income tax$495
  • Take-home pay$28,418

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 1.75% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Atlantic City, NJ

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$32,220$15.49$27,592$2,299
25th percentile$32,220$15.49$27,592$2,299
Median (50th)$33,270$16.00$28,418$2,368
75th percentile$35,080$16.87$29,840$2,487
90th percentile (top earners)$36,970$17.77$31,309$2,609

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New Jersey resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $33,270 buys in Atlantic City, NJ

Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 1.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $28,418 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,746 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,493
63% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,848
78% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$875
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Atlantic City, NJ has 1.3× the national concentration of fast food and counter worker jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living

Atlantic City, NJ ranks #50 of 241 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Modesto, CA $42,630$35,184$33,796
2Vallejo, CA $44,110$36,295$33,458
3Santa Rosa, CA $43,610$35,920$33,326
4San Jose, CA $44,570$36,640$33,182
5Sacramento, CA $42,860$35,357$33,146
6Stockton, CA $41,740$34,517$32,845
7Riverside, CA $42,280$34,922$32,808
8Salinas, CA $43,260$35,657$32,701
50Atlantic City, NJ$33,270$28,418$28,746

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 241 metros →

About the job: fast food and counter workers

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),

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
+5.8% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Fast Food and Counter Worker salaries elsewhere in New Jersey

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Atlantic City, NJ?

The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area is $33,270 a year, or about $16.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $32,220 and $35,080.

What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ?

On the median $33,270 salary, a single filer living in New Jersey takes home about $28,418 a year ($2,368 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $495 in New Jersey taxes in 2026.

Is Atlantic City, NJ a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?

Pay here is 7% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 1.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,746 would in a typical U.S. city. Atlantic City, NJ ranks #50 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Atlantic City, NJ?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Atlantic City, NJ is $1,493 a month ($1,848 for two bedrooms) — 63% of a median fast food and counter worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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