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Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in Chicago, IL

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area earn a median of $34,630 a year, an average of $34,690. About 97,280 people work in this occupation there. Figures are from the May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).

Fast Food and Counter Workers pay at a glance

Annual median wage
$34,630
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$34,690
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$31,200
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$38,610
Top of the range
People employed
97,280
In Chicago metro area
Rent share of median wage
47.8%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in Chicago

Rent from the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, compared with the wage above

Median gross rent
$1,380
per month, in Chicago, IL
Income needed for median rent
$55,200
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median fast food and counter workers wage
$34,630
37.3% below income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
47.8%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$75,134
All households, not one occupation

Occupations are not paid the same everywhere, and this page does not explain why. It reports what the survey measured for the Chicago area. Read the Chicago, IL cost of living page for rent, income and the price level, or the methodology for how the numbers are compiled.

Fast Food and Counter Workers pay in other cities

Median annual wage, same occupation, same survey

Houston, TX
-20.4%
Median $27,570
Mean $27,630
Employed 105,810
Phoenix, AZ
same
Median $34,540
Mean $35,560
Employed 54,900
Philadelphia, PA
-7.0%
Median $32,220
Mean $31,880
Employed 69,080
Los Angeles, CA
+21.6%
Median $42,110
Mean $41,080
Employed 160,270
San Antonio, TX
-19.7%
Median $27,810
Mean $28,000
Employed 40,040
San Diego, CA
+21.8%
Median $42,190
Mean $40,870
Employed 42,550
Dallas, TX
-18.9%
Median $28,070
Mean $29,350
Employed 128,380
San Jose, CA
+28.7%
Median $44,570
Mean $44,980
Employed 23,060

See fast food and counter workers pay in every covered city.

Take-home pay calculator

Estimate your net pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes. Adjust filing status and allowances for your situation.

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Gross annual income $34,630 / year
$34,630
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
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State income tax Illinois (IL)
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FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.65% up to wage base
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Pre-tax deductions 401(k), HSA, etc.
$0
Take-home pay (annual) After all taxes
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Take-home per paycheck Monthly
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Effective tax rate Total tax ÷ gross income
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Estimates use 2024 federal tax brackets, FICA rates (6.2% SS up to $168,600, 1.45% Medicare + 0.9% >$200k), and state rates from Tax Foundation. Does not include local taxes, AMT, or tax credits. Consult a tax professional for actual liability.

Definitions used on this page

Annual median wage
The wage that half of the people in this occupation earn more than and half earn less than, for one year of work.
Annual mean wage
The average of all reported wages. It is higher than the median when a few very high earners pull it up.
Percentiles
The 10th percentile is the wage below which 10% of workers fall; the 90th is the wage above which only 10% rise. The gap between them shows how wide the pay range is.
Employment
The estimated number of jobs in this occupation in the metropolitan area, not the number of residents who hold it.

Sources and limits

Wages describe the metropolitan area, while rent and income describe the city boundaries. The two areas do not cover exactly the same ground. Wages are also averaged across a year and across every industry, so a specific employer can differ widely from the median shown here.