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

Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Augusta, GA

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area earn a median $26,620 a year — 15% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $22,773 take-home, or $1,898 a month.

Median salary
$26,620
$12.80 per hour
Typical range
$20,890 – $34,380
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Augusta, GA
8,710
1.52× national concentration
▲6.7%
Pay trend: The median for fast food and counter workers in Augusta, GA rose from $24,960 (May 2024) to $26,620 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 4.3%.

Take-home pay calculator

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker in Augusta, GA
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$22,773
per year · effective tax rate 14.5%
$1,898Monthly
$949Twice a month
$876Every 2 weeks
$10.95Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,052
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,650
  • Medicare (1.45%)$386
  • Georgia income tax$759
  • Take-home pay$22,773

Marginal rate: 10% federal + 5.19% state

The Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro spans Georgia, South Carolina. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Augusta, GA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$20,890$10.04$18,352$1,529
25th percentile$22,590$10.86$19,663$1,639
Median (50th)$26,620$12.80$22,773$1,898
75th percentile$28,700$13.80$24,374$2,031
90th percentile (top earners)$34,380$16.53$28,643$2,387

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

What $26,620 buys in Augusta, GA

Prices in Augusta, GA are 8.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 29% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $22,773 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,779 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,110
58% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,258
66% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$788
per month for everything else

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

Augusta, GA has 1.5× 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

Augusta, GA ranks #199 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
199Augusta, GA$26,620$22,773$24,779

*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 Georgia

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Augusta, GA?

The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area is $26,620 a year, or about $12.80 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,590 and $28,700.

What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Augusta, GA?

On the median $26,620 salary, a single filer living in Georgia takes home about $22,773 a year ($1,898 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $759 in Georgia taxes in 2026.

Is Augusta, GA a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?

Pay here is 15% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 8.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,779 would in a typical U.S. city. Augusta, GA ranks #199 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Augusta, GA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Augusta, GA is $1,110 a month ($1,258 for two bedrooms) — 58% 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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