Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $28,640 a year ($13.77 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,810 of these jobs there. That is 46% below the $52,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,960 and $36,020; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,226 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Lansing-East Lansing, MI at a glance

Median salary

$28,640$13.77 per hour · $2,387 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,960$12.48/hr
25th percentile$27,630$13.29/hr
75th percentile$31,030$14.92/hr
90th percentile$36,020$17.32/hr
Jobs in this metro4,810Location quotient 0.89 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here46% belowAll-jobs median $52,800
Against Michigan1% belowStatewide median $28,930
Against the U.S.8% belowNational median $31,200

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Fast food or counter worker salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI after taxes

$28,640
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,640
Net 85%
Fed 4%
MI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,226After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,019Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$932Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,257 / yr
Michigan state income tax$966 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,191 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Lansing-East Lansing, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$12.48/hr$2,163$25,960$22,136
25th percentile$13.29/hr$2,303$27,630$23,440
MedianMedian$13.77/hr$2,387$28,640$24,226
75th percentile$14.92/hr$2,586$31,030$26,045
90th percentile$17.32/hr$3,002$36,020$29,842

Is $28,640 a good salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

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$72,550Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.05% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.5%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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area was $28,640 in May 2025, about $2,387 a month or $13.77 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $28,930, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI was $13.77 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.48 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.32.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

BLS estimated 4,810 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 22.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.89 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for fast food or counter workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Lansing-East Lansing, MI run from $25,960 at the 10th percentile to $27,630 at the 25th, $31,030 at the 75th, and $36,020 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

On a median gross salary of $28,640, an estimated $24,226 lands in net take-home pay per year ($932 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,414 (an effective rate of 15.4%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

On the median annual salary of $28,640, gross monthly income is $2,387. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,019 per month (or $932 every two weeks).

Is $28,640 a good salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

At $28,640, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 39.5% of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI median household income ($72,550). It is 46% below the $52,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.0, so prices here run 5% below the U.S. average.