Baton Rouge, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Baton Rouge, LA?

In the Baton Rouge, LA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $23,650 a year ($11.37 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 8,490 of these jobs there. That is 51% below the $48,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,270 and $33,460; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $20,763 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Baton Rouge, LA at a glance

Median salary

$23,650$11.37 per hour · $1,971 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,270$10.23/hr
25th percentile$22,500$10.82/hr
75th percentile$26,750$12.86/hr
90th percentile$33,460$16.09/hr
Jobs in this metro8,490Location quotient 0.84 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here51% belowAll-jobs median $48,710
Against Louisiana4% aboveStatewide median $22,800
Against the U.S.24% 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 Baton Rouge, LA after taxes

$23,650
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$23,650
Net 88%
Fed 3%
LA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$20,763After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,730Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$799Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$755 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$323 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,809 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Baton Rouge, LA, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Baton Rouge, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$10.23/hr$1,773$21,270$18,874
25th percentile$10.82/hr$1,875$22,500$19,850
MedianMedian$11.37/hr$1,971$23,650$20,763
75th percentile$12.86/hr$2,229$26,750$23,222
90th percentile$16.09/hr$2,788$33,460$28,448

Is $23,650 a good salary in Baton Rouge, LA?

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$69,599Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.89.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household34%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 Baton Rouge, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Baton Rouge, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Baton Rouge, LA metro area was $23,650 in May 2025, about $1,971 a month or $11.37 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $22,800, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Baton Rouge, LA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Baton Rouge, LA was $11.37 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.23 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.09.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Baton Rouge, LA?

BLS estimated 8,490 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 20.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.84 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for fast food or counter workers in Baton Rouge, LA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Baton Rouge, LA run from $21,270 at the 10th percentile to $22,500 at the 25th, $26,750 at the 75th, and $33,460 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 Baton Rouge, LA?

On a median gross salary of $23,650, an estimated $20,763 lands in net take-home pay per year ($799 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $2,887 (an effective rate of 12.2%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Baton Rouge, LA?

On the median annual salary of $23,650, gross monthly income is $1,971. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,730 per month (or $799 every two weeks).

Is $23,650 a good salary in Baton Rouge, LA?

At $23,650, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 34% of the Baton Rouge, LA median household income ($69,599). It is 51% below the $48,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.8, so prices here run 9.2% below the U.S. average.