Columbus, IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Columbus, IN metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $28,290 a year ($13.60 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,440 of these jobs there. That is 42% below the $48,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,220 and $34,480; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,102 in take-home pay.

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

Median salary

$28,290$13.60 per hour · $2,358 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,220$10.69/hr
25th percentile$23,850$11.46/hr
75th percentile$31,460$15.12/hr
90th percentile$34,480$16.58/hr
Jobs in this metro1,440Location quotient 1.16 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here42% belowAll-jobs median $48,470
Against Indiana2% belowStatewide median $28,790
Against the U.S.9% 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, IN after taxes

$28,290
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,290
Net 85%
Fed 4%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,102After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,008Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$927Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,219 / yr
Indiana state income tax$805 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,164 / yr

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

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Columbus, IN 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, IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$10.69/hr$1,852$22,220$19,282
25th percentile$11.46/hr$1,988$23,850$20,576
MedianMedian$13.60/hr$2,358$28,290$24,102
75th percentile$15.12/hr$2,622$31,460$26,560
90th percentile$16.58/hr$2,873$34,480$28,897

Is $28,290 a good salary in Columbus, IN?

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$79,901Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.07% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household35.4%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, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, IN?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Columbus, IN metro area was $28,290 in May 2025, about $2,358 a month or $13.60 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $28,790, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, IN?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, IN was $13.60 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.69 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.58.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Columbus, IN?

BLS estimated 1,440 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 28.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.16 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, IN?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, IN run from $22,220 at the 10th percentile to $23,850 at the 25th, $31,460 at the 75th, and $34,480 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, IN?

On a median gross salary of $28,290, an estimated $24,102 lands in net take-home pay per year ($927 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,188 (an effective rate of 14.8%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Columbus, IN?

On the median annual salary of $28,290, gross monthly income is $2,358. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,008 per month (or $927 every two weeks).

Is $28,290 a good salary in Columbus, IN?

At $28,290, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 35.4% of the Columbus, IN median household income ($79,901). It is 42% below the $48,470 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.0, so prices here run 7% below the U.S. average.