Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $32,220 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,080 take-home, or $2,257 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,686
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,998
- Medicare (1.45%)$467
- Pennsylvania income tax$989
- Take-home pay$27,080
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,205 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $25,875 ($2,156 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. 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 Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,790 | $11.44 | $20,471 | $1,706 |
| 25th percentile | $29,440 | $14.15 | $24,931 | $2,078 |
| Median (50th) | $32,220 | $15.49 | $27,080 | $2,257 |
| 75th percentile | $34,900 | $16.78 | $29,151 | $2,429 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,920 | $17.75 | $30,712 | $2,559 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $32,220 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $27,080 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,405 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Fast Food and Counter Worker jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.96).
Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #117 of 241 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modesto, CA | $42,630 | $35,184 | $33,796 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $44,110 | $36,295 | $33,458 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $43,610 | $35,920 | $33,326 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $44,570 | $36,640 | $33,182 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $42,860 | $35,357 | $33,146 |
| 6 | Stockton, CA | $41,740 | $34,517 | $32,845 |
| 7 | Riverside, CA | $42,280 | $34,922 | $32,808 |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $43,260 | $35,657 | $32,701 |
| 117 | Philadelphia, PA | $32,220 | $27,080 | $26,405 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $28,250
- Scranton, PA — $27,520
- Erie, PA — $26,540
- York, PA — $27,920
- Lancaster, PA — $28,580
- Allentown, PA — $29,090
- Reading, PA — $28,090
- Harrisburg, PA — $28,070
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $32,220 a year, or about $15.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,440 and $34,900.
What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $32,220 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $27,080 a year ($2,257 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $989 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,405 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #117 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 67% of a median fast food and counter worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Chef and Head Cook — $65,680
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,580
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,870
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,270
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,570
- Bartender — $36,040
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,560
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $33,300
- Dishwasher — $33,270
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $32,220
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $32,220
- Cooks, Fast Food — $32,220