Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Hawaii make a median of $35,250 a year, or about $16.95 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $31,996 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 92% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Hawaii?
About fast food and counter workers
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Hawaii sits well above the national pay line for fast food and counter workers, local pay runs about 13% 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 $2,240/month, which is 94.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary by metro in Hawaii
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku | $38K | +7% | 2,590 |
| Urban Honolulu | $35K | -0% | 17,240 |
Compare to other states
Track fast food and counter workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fast food and counter worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 94.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/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 Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,747/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 128% 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 Hawaii?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $35K here vs. $31K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
Hawaii pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in Hawaii?
The median is $35,250 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,120, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $45,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,360/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 94.9% 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 Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (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 $31,996 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.