Fast food or counter worker pay in Columbia, SC at a glance
Median salary
$27,170$13.06 per hour · $2,264 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Fast food or counter worker salary in Columbia, SC after taxes
Fast food or counter workers pay range in Columbia, SC, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (SC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $10.79/hr | $1,870 | $22,440 | $19,941 |
| 25th percentile | $11.11/hr | $1,925 | $23,100 | $20,472 |
| MedianMedian | $13.06/hr | $2,264 | $27,170 | $23,742 |
| 75th percentile | $14.05/hr | $2,435 | $29,220 | $25,375 |
| 90th percentile | $16.52/hr | $2,863 | $34,360 | $29,403 |
Is $27,170 a good salary in Columbia, SC?
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.
Fast food or counter workers pay in South Carolina and across the U.S.
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.
Fast food or counter worker pay in Columbia, SC: common questions
What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Columbia, SC?
The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Columbia, SC metro area was $27,170 in May 2025, about $2,264 a month or $13.06 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $27,520, so the metro pays 1% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Columbia, SC?
The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Columbia, SC was $13.06 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.79 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.52.
How many fast food or counter workers work in Columbia, SC?
BLS estimated 11,640 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 29.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.19 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 Columbia, SC?
BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Columbia, SC run from $22,440 at the 10th percentile to $23,100 at the 25th, $29,220 at the 75th, and $34,360 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 Columbia, SC?
On a median gross salary of $27,170, an estimated $23,742 lands in net take-home pay per year ($913 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,428 (an effective rate of 12.6%).
How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Columbia, SC?
On the median annual salary of $27,170, gross monthly income is $2,264. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,979 per month (or $913 every two weeks).
Is $27,170 a good salary in Columbia, SC?
At $27,170, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 39.7% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 41% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.7, so prices here run 6.3% below the U.S. average.