Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Indiana make a median of $28,790 a year, or about $13.84 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $31,358 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 55.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Indiana?
About fast food and counter workers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Fast food and counter workers pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $29K locally vs. $31K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 56.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokomo | $29K | +1% | 1,540 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $29K | +1% | 28,400 |
| Fort Wayne | $28K | -1% | 6,900 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $28K | -2% | 2,710 |
| Columbus | $28K | -2% | 1,440 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $28K | -2% | 1,520 |
| Bloomington | $28K | -2% | 2,390 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $28K | -2% | 4,260 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $28K | -2% | 4,240 |
| Evansville | $28K | -3% | 4,470 |
| Muncie | $28K | -4% | 2,120 |
| Terre Haute | $27K | -6% | 2,700 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fast food and counter worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 56.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,327/month. At HUD’s $1,144/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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $29K locally vs. $31K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
Indiana pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in Indiana?
The median is $28,790 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,110, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $35,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,025/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 56.5% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fast food and counter workers salary is worth about $31,358 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.