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

Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Corpus Christi, TX

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Corpus Christi, TX metro area earn a median $25,630 a year — 18% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $22,716 take-home, or $1,893 a month.

Median salary
$25,630
$12.32 per hour
Typical range
$21,240 – $29,770
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Corpus Christi, TX
7,870
1.65× national concentration
▲8.0%
Pay trend: The median for fast food and counter workers in Corpus Christi, TX rose from $23,740 (May 2024) to $25,630 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 5.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker in Corpus Christi, TX
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$22,716
per year · effective tax rate 11.4%
$1,893Monthly
$947Twice a month
$874Every 2 weeks
$10.92Hourly
  • Federal income tax$953
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,589
  • Medicare (1.45%)$372
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$22,716

Marginal rate: 10% federal + 0.00% state

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Corpus Christi, TX

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$21,240$10.21$19,101$1,592
25th percentile$22,190$10.67$19,883$1,657
Median (50th)$25,630$12.32$22,716$1,893
75th percentile$28,170$13.54$24,808$2,067
90th percentile (top earners)$29,770$14.31$26,100$2,175

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

What $25,630 buys in Corpus Christi, TX

Prices in Corpus Christi, TX are 7.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 15% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $22,716 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,513 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,115
59% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,368
72% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$778
per month for everything else

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

Corpus Christi, TX has 1.6× 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

Corpus Christi, TX ranks #210 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
210Corpus Christi, TX$25,630$22,716$24,513

*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 Texas

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Corpus Christi, TX?

The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Corpus Christi, TX metro area is $25,630 a year, or about $12.32 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,190 and $28,170.

What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX?

On the median $25,630 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $22,716 a year ($1,893 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Corpus Christi, TX a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?

Pay here is 18% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 7.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,513 would in a typical U.S. city. Corpus Christi, TX ranks #210 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Corpus Christi, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Corpus Christi, TX is $1,115 a month ($1,368 for two bedrooms) — 59% 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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