Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $39,470 a year ($18.98 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 9,180 of these jobs there. That is 17% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,190 and $45,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,333 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Bakersfield-Delano, CA at a glance

Median salary

$39,470$18.98 per hour · $3,289 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,190$16.92/hr
25th percentile$36,260$17.43/hr
75th percentile$43,390$20.86/hr
90th percentile$45,660$21.95/hr
Jobs in this metro9,180Location quotient 1.09 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here17% belowAll-jobs median $47,470
Against California7% belowStatewide median $42,280
Against the U.S.27% aboveNational median $31,200

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Fast food or counter worker salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA after taxes

$39,470
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$39,470
Net 84%
Fed 6%
CA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,333After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,778Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,282Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,556 / yr
California state income tax$561 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,019 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Bakersfield-Delano, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$16.92/hr$2,933$35,190$30,065
25th percentile$17.43/hr$3,022$36,260$30,882
MedianMedian$18.98/hr$3,289$39,470$33,333
75th percentile$20.86/hr$3,616$43,390$36,326
90th percentile$21.95/hr$3,805$45,660$38,059

Is $39,470 a good salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

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$70,210Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.90.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household56.2%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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area was $39,470 in May 2025, about $3,289 a month or $18.98 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $42,280, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA was $18.98 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.92 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.95.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

BLS estimated 9,180 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 27.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.09 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA run from $35,190 at the 10th percentile to $36,260 at the 25th, $43,390 at the 75th, and $45,660 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

On a median gross salary of $39,470, an estimated $33,333 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,282 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,137 (an effective rate of 15.5%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

On the median annual salary of $39,470, gross monthly income is $3,289. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,778 per month (or $1,282 every two weeks).

Is $39,470 a good salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

At $39,470, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 56.2% of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA median household income ($70,210). It is 17% below the $47,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.9, so prices here run 0.9% above the U.S. average.