Fast Food and Counter Workers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,610 or more. The middle half of fast food and counter workers in Chicago earn between $31,200 and $36,590.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $35KMedian
- $37K75th
- $39K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,690 | $2,891 | $16.68 |
| Median | $34,630 | $2,886 | $16.65 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,590 | $3,049 | $17.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $34,690, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $28,477 a year, or $2,373 a month and $1,095 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $29,043 | $2,420 |
| Working in IL | $28,477 | $2,373 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for fast food and counter workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $34,690 buys what about $33,486 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 10.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$34,690
- Springfield$33,140
- Champaign$33,110
- Rockford$32,890
- Peoria$32,760
- Decatur$32,650
- Kankakee$32,420
- Bloomington$32,280
Highest-paying cities for fast food and counter workers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($44,980).
- San Jose, CA$44,980
- San Francisco, CA$44,620
- Napa, CA$44,010
- Vallejo, CA$42,760
- Santa Rosa, CA$42,640
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Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do fast food and counter workers make an hour in Chicago?
$16.68 an hour on average, and $16.65 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level fast food and counter workers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the fast food and counter workers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $28,477 a year ($2,373 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,690.
Do fast food and counter workers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($32,571).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-3023; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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