Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA?

In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $27,780 a year ($13.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 80,730 of these jobs there. That is 46% below the $51,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,830 and $37,030; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,849 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA at a glance

Median salary

$27,780$13.36 per hour · $2,315 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,830$10.50/hr
25th percentile$23,020$11.07/hr
75th percentile$33,050$15.89/hr
90th percentile$37,030$17.80/hr
Jobs in this metro80,730Location quotient 1.13 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here46% belowAll-jobs median $51,170
Against Georgia3% aboveStatewide median $26,920
Against the U.S.11% belowNational median $31,200

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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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA after taxes

$27,780
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,780
Net 86%
Fed 4%
GA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,849After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,987Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$917Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,168 / yr
Georgia state income tax$638 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,125 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$10.50/hr$1,819$21,830$19,246
25th percentile$11.07/hr$1,918$23,020$20,167
MedianMedian$13.36/hr$2,315$27,780$23,849
75th percentile$15.89/hr$2,754$33,050$27,835
90th percentile$17.80/hr$3,086$37,030$30,834

Is $27,780 a good salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA?

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$89,724Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.10.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household31%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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area was $27,780 in May 2025, about $2,315 a month or $13.36 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $26,920, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA was $13.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.80.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

BLS estimated 80,730 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 27.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.13 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA run from $21,830 at the 10th percentile to $23,020 at the 25th, $33,050 at the 75th, and $37,030 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

On a median gross salary of $27,780, an estimated $23,849 lands in net take-home pay per year ($917 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,931 (an effective rate of 14.2%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

On the median annual salary of $27,780, gross monthly income is $2,315. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,987 per month (or $917 every two weeks).

Is $27,780 a good salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?

At $27,780, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 31% of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA median household income ($89,724). It is 46% below the $51,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.1, so prices here run 0.1% above the U.S. average.