Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Colorado make a median of $36,270 a year, or about $17.44 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $34,973 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 72.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $36K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About fast food and counter workers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for fast food and counter workers, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 74.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary by metro in Colorado
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $37K | +2% | 42,810 |
| Boulder | $36K | -0% | 4,880 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $35K | -4% | 5,770 |
| Colorado Springs | $34K | -5% | 11,470 |
| Greeley | $33K | -9% | 3,670 |
| Grand Junction | $32K | -13% | 2,450 |
| Pueblo | $31K | -14% | 2,160 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a fast food and counter worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 74.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fast food and counter workers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,135/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fast food and counter worker a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $36K here vs. $31K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
Colorado pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in Colorado?
The median is $36,270 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,040, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $44,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,465/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 74.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fast food and counter workers salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fast food and counter workers salary is worth about $34,973 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fast food and counter workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.