Albuquerque, NM metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Albuquerque, NM?

In the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $29,140 a year ($14.01 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 14,510 of these jobs there. That is 39% below the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,160 and $36,720; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Mexico tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,295 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Albuquerque, NM at a glance

Median salary

$29,140$14.01 per hour · $2,428 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,160$13.54/hr
25th percentile$28,550$13.73/hr
75th percentile$29,920$14.39/hr
90th percentile$36,720$17.66/hr
Jobs in this metro14,510Location quotient 1.45 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here39% belowAll-jobs median $48,060
Against New Mexico2% aboveStatewide median $28,700
Against the U.S.7% belowNational median $31,200

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Fast food or counter worker salary in Albuquerque, NM after taxes

$29,140
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,140
Net 87%
Fed 5%
NM 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,295After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,108Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$973Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,317 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$299 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,229 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Albuquerque, NM, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Albuquerque, NM metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NM)
10th percentile$13.54/hr$2,347$28,160$24,537
25th percentile$13.73/hr$2,379$28,550$24,843
MedianMedian$14.01/hr$2,428$29,140$25,295
75th percentile$14.39/hr$2,493$29,920$25,893
90th percentile$17.66/hr$3,060$36,720$31,058

Is $29,140 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for fast food or counter workers next to both.

Median household income$70,783Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household41.2%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Do fast food or counter workers pay tax on tips?

Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.

See what the tips deduction saves you →

Fast food or counter worker pay in Albuquerque, NM: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Albuquerque, NM?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Albuquerque, NM metro area was $29,140 in May 2025, about $2,428 a month or $14.01 an hour. Statewide, the New Mexico median for this job is $28,700, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Albuquerque, NM?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Albuquerque, NM was $14.01 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.54 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.66.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS estimated 14,510 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 35.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.45 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for fast food or counter workers in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Albuquerque, NM run from $28,160 at the 10th percentile to $28,550 at the 25th, $29,920 at the 75th, and $36,720 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do fast food or counter workers take home after taxes in Albuquerque, NM?

On a median gross salary of $29,140, an estimated $25,295 lands in net take-home pay per year ($973 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Mexico in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,845 (an effective rate of 13.2%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Albuquerque, NM?

On the median annual salary of $29,140, gross monthly income is $2,428. After federal, FICA, and New Mexico state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,108 per month (or $973 every two weeks).

Is $29,140 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

At $29,140, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 41.2% of the Albuquerque, NM median household income ($70,783). It is 39% below the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.