Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Olympia-Lacey, WA?

In the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $36,110 a year ($17.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,910 of these jobs there. That is 42% below the $61,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,960 and $45,420; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,194 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Olympia-Lacey, WA at a glance

Median salary

$36,110$17.36 per hour · $3,009 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,960$16.81/hr
25th percentile$35,300$16.97/hr
75th percentile$37,900$18.22/hr
90th percentile$45,420$21.84/hr
Jobs in this metro3,910Location quotient 1.21 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here42% belowAll-jobs median $61,960
Against Washington4% belowStatewide median $37,710
Against the U.S.16% aboveNational 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 Olympia-Lacey, WA after taxes

$36,110
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,110
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,194After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,600Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,200Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,153 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,762 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Olympia-Lacey, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.81/hr$2,913$34,960$30,270
25th percentile$16.97/hr$2,942$35,300$30,544
MedianMedian$17.36/hr$3,009$36,110$31,194
75th percentile$18.22/hr$3,158$37,900$32,633
90th percentile$21.84/hr$3,785$45,420$38,675

Is $36,110 a good salary in Olympia-Lacey, WA?

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$96,563Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.73.7% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.4%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 Olympia-Lacey, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area was $36,110 in May 2025, about $3,009 a month or $17.36 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $37,710, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA was $17.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.84.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

BLS estimated 3,910 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 30.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.21 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA run from $34,960 at the 10th percentile to $35,300 at the 25th, $37,900 at the 75th, and $45,420 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

On a median gross salary of $36,110, an estimated $31,194 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,200 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,916 (an effective rate of 13.6%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

On the median annual salary of $36,110, gross monthly income is $3,009. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,600 per month (or $1,200 every two weeks).

Is $36,110 a good salary in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

At $36,110, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 37.4% of the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA median household income ($96,563). It is 42% below the $61,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.7, so prices here run 3.7% above the U.S. average.