Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Salt Lake City, UT
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area earn a median $29,070 a year — 7% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,196 take-home, or $2,100 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in Salt Lake City, UT. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,308
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,802
- Medicare (1.45%)$422
- Utah income tax$342
- Take-home pay$25,196
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.50% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Salt Lake City, UT
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,560 | $10.85 | $20,139 | $1,678 |
| 25th percentile | $27,150 | $13.05 | $23,712 | $1,976 |
| Median (50th) | $29,070 | $13.98 | $25,196 | $2,100 |
| 75th percentile | $33,500 | $16.11 | $28,556 | $2,380 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,050 | $17.81 | $31,248 | $2,604 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Utah resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,070 buys in Salt Lake City, UT
Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 0.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.23× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $25,196 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,979 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 Salt Lake City, UT as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.96).
Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living
Salt Lake City, UT ranks #193 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 |
| 193 | Salt Lake City, UT | $29,070 | $25,196 | $24,979 |
*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 Utah
- Provo, UT — $28,710
- St. George, UT — $28,270
- Ogden, UT — $28,030
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Salt Lake City, UT?
The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area is $29,070 a year, or about $13.98 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,150 and $33,500.
What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT?
On the median $29,070 salary, a single filer living in Utah takes home about $25,196 a year ($2,100 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $342 in Utah taxes in 2026.
Is Salt Lake City, UT a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?
Pay here is 7% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 0.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,979 would in a typical U.S. city. Salt Lake City, UT ranks #193 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Salt Lake City, UT is $1,426 a month ($1,717 for two bedrooms) — 68% 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 Salt Lake City, UT
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,860
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,700
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,370
- Waiter and Waitress — $32,320