Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Chattanooga, TN?

In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $27,140 a year ($13.05 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 7,770 of these jobs there. That is 42% below the $46,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,700 and $34,320; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,354 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Chattanooga, TN at a glance

Median salary

$27,140$13.05 per hour · $2,262 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,700$10.43/hr
25th percentile$23,100$11.10/hr
75th percentile$28,580$13.74/hr
90th percentile$34,320$16.50/hr
Jobs in this metro7,770Location quotient 1.17 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here42% belowAll-jobs median $46,700
Against Georgia1% aboveStatewide median $26,920
Against the U.S.13% belowNational median $31,200

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Fast food or counter worker salary in Chattanooga, TN after taxes

$27,140
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,140
Net 86%
Fed 4%
GA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,354After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,946Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$898Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,104 / yr
Georgia state income tax$606 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,076 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Chattanooga, TN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Chattanooga, TN-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 Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$10.43/hr$1,808$21,700$19,146
25th percentile$11.10/hr$1,925$23,100$20,229
MedianMedian$13.05/hr$2,262$27,140$23,354
75th percentile$13.74/hr$2,382$28,580$24,466
90th percentile$16.50/hr$2,860$34,320$28,792

Is $27,140 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN?

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$72,161Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.58.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.6%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 Chattanooga, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area was $27,140 in May 2025, about $2,262 a month or $13.05 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $26,920, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA was $13.05 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.43 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.50.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

BLS estimated 7,770 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 28.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.17 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA run from $21,700 at the 10th percentile to $23,100 at the 25th, $28,580 at the 75th, and $34,320 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA?

On a median gross salary of $27,140, an estimated $23,354 lands in net take-home pay per year ($898 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,786 (an effective rate of 13.9%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

On the median annual salary of $27,140, gross monthly income is $2,262. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,946 per month (or $898 every two weeks).

Is $27,140 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

At $27,140, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 37.6% of the Chattanooga, TN-GA median household income ($72,161). It is 42% below the $46,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.5, so prices here run 8.5% below the U.S. average.