Columbus, GA-AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Columbus, GA?

In the Columbus, GA-AL metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $23,300 a year ($11.20 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,060 of these jobs there. That is 46% below the $43,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $19,580 and $30,670; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $19,934 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Columbus, GA at a glance

Median salary

$23,300$11.20 per hour · $1,942 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$19,580$9.41/hr
25th percentile$21,850$10.51/hr
75th percentile$27,540$13.24/hr
90th percentile$30,670$14.74/hr
Jobs in this metro4,060Location quotient 1.41 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here46% belowAll-jobs median $43,540
Against Alabama2% belowStatewide median $23,700
Against the U.S.25% 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 Columbus, GA after taxes

$23,300
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$23,300
Net 86%
Fed 3%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$19,934After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,661Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$767Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$720 / yr
Alabama state income tax$864 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,782 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Columbus, GA, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$9.41/hr$1,632$19,580$17,038
25th percentile$10.51/hr$1,821$21,850$18,805
MedianMedian$11.20/hr$1,942$23,300$19,934
75th percentile$13.24/hr$2,295$27,540$23,229
90th percentile$14.74/hr$2,556$30,670$25,617

Is $23,300 a good salary in Columbus, 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$59,336Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)89.310.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.3%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 Columbus, GA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area was $23,300 in May 2025, about $1,942 a month or $11.20 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $23,700, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

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

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, GA-AL was $11.20 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.41 an hour and one in ten earned more than $14.74.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Columbus, GA-AL?

BLS estimated 4,060 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 34.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.41 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 Columbus, GA-AL?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, GA-AL run from $19,580 at the 10th percentile to $21,850 at the 25th, $27,540 at the 75th, and $30,670 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 Columbus, GA-AL?

On a median gross salary of $23,300, an estimated $19,934 lands in net take-home pay per year ($767 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,366 (an effective rate of 14.4%).

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

On the median annual salary of $23,300, gross monthly income is $1,942. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,661 per month (or $767 every two weeks).

Is $23,300 a good salary in Columbus, GA-AL?

At $23,300, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 39.3% of the Columbus, GA-AL median household income ($59,336). It is 46% below the $43,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 89.3, so prices here run 10.7% below the U.S. average.