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Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in Memphis, TN

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area earn a median of $27,490 a year, an average of $27,980. About 15,320 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
$27,490
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$27,980
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$22,310
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$35,310
Top of the range
People employed
15,320
In Memphis metro area
Rent share of median wage
49.0%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in Memphis

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

Median gross rent
$1,123
per month, in Memphis, TN
Income needed for median rent
$44,900
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median fast food and counter workers wage
$27,490
38.8% below income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
49.0%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$51,211
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 Memphis area. Read the Memphis, TN 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

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
+4.4%
Median $28,690
Mean $28,750
Employed 15,540
Detroit, MI
+7.6%
Median $29,590
Mean $30,860
Employed 42,430
Portland, OR
+29.6%
Median $35,620
Mean $37,830
Employed 34,840
Las Vegas, NV
+16.2%
Median $31,950
Mean $33,050
Employed 36,150
Boston, MA
+32.0%
Median $36,290
Mean $36,230
Employed 60,130
Washington, DC
+25.9%
Median $34,600
Mean $35,550
Employed 60,560
El Paso, TX
-16.2%
Median $23,030
Mean $24,860
Employed 13,520
Baltimore, MD
+20.4%
Median $33,090
Mean $33,820
Employed 21,090

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 $27,490 / year
$27,490
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
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State income tax Tennessee (TN)
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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.