Columbus, OH metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Columbus, OH metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $28,670 a year ($13.78 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 31,590 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $51,340 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,580 and $35,210; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Ohio tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,878 in take-home pay.

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

Median salary

$28,670$13.78 per hour · $2,389 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,580$11.34/hr
25th percentile$28,030$13.48/hr
75th percentile$30,550$14.69/hr
90th percentile$35,210$16.93/hr
Jobs in this metro31,590Location quotient 1.15 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $51,340
Against Ohio1% aboveStatewide median $28,430
Against the U.S.8% 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, OH after taxes

$28,670
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,670
Net 87%
Fed 4%
OH 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,878After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,073Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$957Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,260 / yr
Ohio state income tax$338 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,193 / yr

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

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Columbus, OH 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, OH metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (OH)
10th percentile$11.34/hr$1,965$23,580$21,028
25th percentile$13.48/hr$2,336$28,030$24,693
MedianMedian$13.78/hr$2,389$28,670$24,878
75th percentile$14.69/hr$2,546$30,550$26,337
90th percentile$16.93/hr$2,934$35,210$29,953

Is $28,670 a good salary in Columbus, OH?

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$81,945Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household35%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, OH: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Columbus, OH metro area was $28,670 in May 2025, about $2,389 a month or $13.78 an hour. Statewide, the Ohio median for this job is $28,430, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

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

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, OH was $13.78 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.34 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.93.

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

BLS estimated 31,590 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 28.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.15 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, OH?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Columbus, OH run from $23,580 at the 10th percentile to $28,030 at the 25th, $30,550 at the 75th, and $35,210 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, OH?

On a median gross salary of $28,670, an estimated $24,878 lands in net take-home pay per year ($957 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Ohio in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,792 (an effective rate of 13.2%).

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

On the median annual salary of $28,670, gross monthly income is $2,389. After federal, FICA, and Ohio state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,073 per month (or $957 every two weeks).

Is $28,670 a good salary in Columbus, OH?

At $28,670, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 35% of the Columbus, OH median household income ($81,945). It is 44% below the $51,340 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.