Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in St. Louis, MO
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $31,260 a year — 0% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $26,766 take-home, or $2,230 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,571
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,938
- Medicare (1.45%)$453
- Missouri income tax$532
- Take-home pay$26,766
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $313 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $26,453 ($2,204 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,470 | $14.17 | $25,411 | $2,118 |
| 25th percentile | $30,780 | $14.80 | $26,402 | $2,200 |
| Median (50th) | $31,260 | $15.03 | $26,766 | $2,230 |
| 75th percentile | $34,260 | $16.47 | $29,035 | $2,420 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,480 | $17.54 | $30,714 | $2,560 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,260 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $26,766 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,148 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 less concentrated in St. Louis, MO than nationally (location quotient 0.58), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #61 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 |
| 61 | St. Louis, MO | $31,260 | $26,766 | $28,148 |
*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 Missouri
- Springfield, MO — $29,950
- Kansas City, MO — $29,560
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fast food and counter worker make in St. Louis, MO?
The median fast food and counter worker salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $31,260 a year, or about $15.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,780 and $34,260.
What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $31,260 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $26,766 a year ($2,230 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $532 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?
Pay here is 0% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,148 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #61 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 44% 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 St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,520
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,690
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $36,200
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $34,340
- Food Preparation Worker — $32,400
- Dishwasher — $32,180
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $31,930
- Waiter and Waitress — $31,200
- Bartender — $31,200
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $31,200
- Cooks, Fast Food — $30,860