Erie, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Erie, PA?

In the Erie, PA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $26,540 a year ($12.76 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,510 of these jobs there. That is 40% below the $44,460 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,260 and $33,890; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,651 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Erie, PA at a glance

Median salary

$26,540$12.76 per hour · $2,212 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,260$10.22/hr
25th percentile$22,950$11.03/hr
75th percentile$28,140$13.53/hr
90th percentile$33,890$16.29/hr
Jobs in this metro3,510Location quotient 1.18 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here40% belowAll-jobs median $44,460
Against Pennsylvania7% belowStatewide median $28,570
Against the U.S.15% 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 Erie, PA after taxes

$26,540
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,540
Net 85%
Fed 4%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,651After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,888Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$871Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,044 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$815 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,030 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Erie, PA, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Erie, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$10.22/hr$1,772$21,260$18,465
25th percentile$11.03/hr$1,913$22,950$19,805
MedianMedian$12.76/hr$2,212$26,540$22,651
75th percentile$13.53/hr$2,345$28,140$23,919
90th percentile$16.29/hr$2,824$33,890$28,370

Is $26,540 a good salary in Erie, PA?

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$63,354Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.09% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household41.9%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 Erie, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Erie, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Erie, PA metro area was $26,540 in May 2025, about $2,212 a month or $12.76 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $28,570, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Erie, PA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Erie, PA was $12.76 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.22 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.29.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Erie, PA?

BLS estimated 3,510 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 29.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.18 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 Erie, PA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Erie, PA run from $21,260 at the 10th percentile to $22,950 at the 25th, $28,140 at the 75th, and $33,890 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 Erie, PA?

On a median gross salary of $26,540, an estimated $22,651 lands in net take-home pay per year ($871 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,889 (an effective rate of 14.7%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Erie, PA?

On the median annual salary of $26,540, gross monthly income is $2,212. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,888 per month (or $871 every two weeks).

Is $26,540 a good salary in Erie, PA?

At $26,540, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 41.9% of the Erie, PA median household income ($63,354). It is 40% below the $44,460 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.0, so prices here run 9% below the U.S. average.