Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in State College, PA make a median of $27,790 a year, or about $13.36 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.76), that's roughly $28,721 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,406/month, about 70.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $28K get you in State College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by State College’s Regional Price Parity (96.76). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fast food and counter workers
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What this looks like in State College
Pay for fast food and counter workers in State College runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,406/month, which is 71.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for fast food and counter workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fast food and counter workers in metros near State College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $32K | $31K |
| Pittsburgh | $28K | $30K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $29K | $29K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $28K | $28K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, State College, PA
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Fast Food and Counter Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $42K | +36% | 449,840 |
| Washington | $38K | +21% | 94,710 |
| District of Columbia | $37K | +20% | 5,500 |
| Colorado | $36K | +16% | 82,010 |
| Vermont | $36K | +15% | 6,830 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +15% | 85,810 |
| Connecticut | $35K | +13% | 35,720 |
| New York | $35K | +13% | 168,620 |
| Hawaii | $35K | +13% | 24,130 |
| Oregon | $35K | +12% | 59,920 |
| Maine | $35K | +11% | 17,250 |
| Arizona | $34K | +10% | 77,210 |
| New Jersey | $34K | +9% | 93,730 |
| Illinois | $34K | +9% | 127,590 |
| Maryland | $34K | +8% | 49,380 |
| Alaska | $33K | +7% | 5,900 |
| Nevada | $32K | +2% | 45,850 |
| New Hampshire | $32K | +1% | 14,540 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | +1% | 13,310 |
| Minnesota | $31K | +1% | 58,970 |
| Delaware | $31K | +0% | 13,310 |
| Missouri | $30K | -3% | 29,360 |
| Virginia | $30K | -3% | 104,460 |
| North Dakota | $30K | -4% | 11,470 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -5% | 15,150 |
| Montana | $29K | -7% | 14,960 |
| Florida | $29K | -7% | 235,400 |
| Nebraska | $29K | -7% | 30,060 |
| Idaho | $29K | -7% | 25,810 |
| Michigan | $29K | -7% | 103,130 |
| Indiana | $29K | -8% | 97,290 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -8% | 28,250 |
| Utah | $29K | -8% | 52,340 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -8% | 67,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -8% | 142,220 |
| North Carolina | $29K | -8% | 92,230 |
| Ohio | $28K | -9% | 163,560 |
| Iowa | $28K | -9% | 40,290 |
| Wyoming | $28K | -11% | 7,060 |
| Texas | $28K | -11% | 460,530 |
| Kansas | $28K | -12% | 47,140 |
| South Carolina | $28K | -12% | 65,070 |
| Tennessee | $27K | -12% | 90,690 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -13% | 41,860 |
| Georgia | $27K | -14% | 145,030 |
| Arkansas | $26K | -16% | 35,660 |
| West Virginia | $26K | -16% | 6,240 |
| Alabama | $24K | -24% | 41,460 |
| Oklahoma | $23K | -25% | 52,520 |
| Louisiana | $23K | -27% | 45,720 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -28% | 31,220 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track fast food and counter workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fast food and counter worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in State College?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 71.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,406/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 State College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,300/month. At HUD’s $1,406/month FMR, rent would take 108% 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 State College?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $28K here vs. $31K nationally.
How does State College compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
State College pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in State College, PA?
The median is $27,790 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,660, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $35,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in State College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,960/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,406/month, which eats 71.7% 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 State College?
State College has a Regional Price Parity of 96.76 (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 $28,721 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.