Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ?

In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $34,540 a year ($16.61 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 54,900 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $51,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,910 and $45,170; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arizona tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,463 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ at a glance

Median salary

$34,540$16.61 per hour · $2,878 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,910$14.86/hr
25th percentile$31,790$15.29/hr
75th percentile$35,980$17.30/hr
90th percentile$45,170$21.72/hr
Jobs in this metro54,900Location quotient 0.93 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $51,380
Against Arizona1% aboveStatewide median $34,230
Against the U.S.11% 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 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ after taxes

$34,540
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,540
Net 85%
Fed 6%
AZ 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,463After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,455Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,133Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,965 / yr
Arizona state income tax$470 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,642 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AZ)
10th percentile$14.86/hr$2,576$30,910$26,637
25th percentile$15.29/hr$2,649$31,790$27,322
MedianMedian$16.61/hr$2,878$34,540$29,463
75th percentile$17.30/hr$2,998$35,980$30,584
90th percentile$21.72/hr$3,764$45,170$37,739

Is $34,540 a good salary in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ?

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$88,301Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.33.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.1%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 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area was $34,540 in May 2025, about $2,878 a month or $16.61 an hour. Statewide, the Arizona median for this job is $34,230, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ was $16.61 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.86 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.72.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

BLS estimated 54,900 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 23.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.93 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ run from $30,910 at the 10th percentile to $31,790 at the 25th, $35,980 at the 75th, and $45,170 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

On a median gross salary of $34,540, an estimated $29,463 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,133 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arizona in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,077 (an effective rate of 14.7%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

On the median annual salary of $34,540, gross monthly income is $2,878. After federal, FICA, and Arizona state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,455 per month (or $1,133 every two weeks).

Is $34,540 a good salary in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

At $34,540, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 39.1% of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ median household income ($88,301). It is 33% below the $51,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.3, so prices here run 3.3% above the U.S. average.