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

Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Pensacola, FL

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metro area earn a median $28,360 a year — 9% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $24,964 take-home, or $2,080 a month.

Median salary
$28,360
$13.63 per hour
Typical range
$27,190 – $34,640
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Pensacola, FL
6,970
1.48× national concentration
▲3.5%
Pay trend: The median for fast food and counter workers in Pensacola, FL rose from $27,410 (May 2024) to $28,360 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.1%.

Take-home pay calculator

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker in Pensacola, FL
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$24,964
per year · effective tax rate 12.0%
$2,080Monthly
$1,040Twice a month
$960Every 2 weeks
$12.00Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,226
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,758
  • Medicare (1.45%)$411
  • Florida income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$24,964

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 Pensacola, FL

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$27,190$13.07$24,001$2,000
25th percentile$27,680$13.31$24,404$2,034
Median (50th)$28,360$13.63$24,964$2,080
75th percentile$30,460$14.64$26,655$2,221
90th percentile (top earners)$34,640$16.65$30,013$2,501

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

What $28,360 buys in Pensacola, FL

Prices in Pensacola, FL are 2.3% 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 $24,964 take-home pay has the buying power of $25,548 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,257
60% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,471
71% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$823
per month for everything else

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

Pensacola, FL 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

Pensacola, FL ranks #168 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
168Pensacola, FL$28,360$24,964$25,548

*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 Florida

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Pensacola, FL?

The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL metro area is $28,360 a year, or about $13.63 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,680 and $30,460.

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

On the median $28,360 salary, a single filer living in Florida takes home about $24,964 a year ($2,080 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Pensacola, FL a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?

Pay here is 9% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 2.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $25,548 would in a typical U.S. city. Pensacola, FL ranks #168 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Pensacola, FL?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Pensacola, FL is $1,257 a month ($1,471 for two bedrooms) — 60% 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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