Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $28,440 a year ($13.67 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 17,490 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,530 and $36,850; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,513 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI at a glance

Median salary

$28,440$13.67 per hour · $2,370 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,530$10.83/hr
25th percentile$25,810$12.41/hr
75th percentile$34,360$16.52/hr
90th percentile$36,850$17.72/hr
Jobs in this metro17,490Location quotient 0.86 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $51,160
Against Wisconsin1% belowStatewide median $28,600
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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI after taxes

$28,440
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,440
Net 86%
Fed 4%
WI 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,513After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,043Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$943Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,234 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$517 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,176 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$10.83/hr$1,878$22,530$19,878
25th percentile$12.41/hr$2,151$25,810$22,450
MedianMedian$13.67/hr$2,370$28,440$24,513
75th percentile$16.52/hr$2,863$34,360$28,982
90th percentile$17.72/hr$3,071$36,850$30,860

Is $28,440 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

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$78,218Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.93.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household36.4%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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area was $28,440 in May 2025, about $2,370 a month or $13.67 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $28,600, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI was $13.67 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.83 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.72.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS estimated 17,490 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 21.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.86 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI run from $22,530 at the 10th percentile to $25,810 at the 25th, $34,360 at the 75th, and $36,850 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On a median gross salary of $28,440, an estimated $24,513 lands in net take-home pay per year ($943 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,927 (an effective rate of 13.8%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On the median annual salary of $28,440, gross monthly income is $2,370. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,043 per month (or $943 every two weeks).

Is $28,440 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

At $28,440, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 36.4% of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI median household income ($78,218). It is 44% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.