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Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in San Diego, CA

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area earn a median of $42,190 a year, an average of $40,870. About 42,550 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
$42,190
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$40,870
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$35,510
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$47,200
Top of the range
People employed
42,550
In San Diego metro area
Rent share of median wage
63.2%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in San Diego

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

Median gross rent
$2,223
per month, in San Diego, CA
Income needed for median rent
$88,900
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median fast food and counter workers wage
$42,190
52.5% below income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
63.2%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$104,321
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 San Diego area. Read the San Diego, CA 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

San Antonio, TX
-34.1%
Median $27,810
Mean $28,000
Employed 40,040
Dallas, TX
-33.5%
Median $28,070
Mean $29,350
Employed 128,380
Philadelphia, PA
-23.6%
Median $32,220
Mean $31,880
Employed 69,080
Phoenix, AZ
-18.1%
Median $34,540
Mean $35,560
Employed 54,900
San Jose, CA
+5.6%
Median $44,570
Mean $44,980
Employed 23,060
Austin, TX
-30.5%
Median $29,310
Mean $30,130
Employed 35,000
Jacksonville, FL
-32.5%
Median $28,470
Mean $29,920
Employed 21,480
Fort Worth, TX
-33.5%
Median $28,070
Mean $29,350
Employed 128,380

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 $42,190 / year
$42,190
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
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State income tax California (CA)
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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.