San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in San Luis Obispo, CA?

In the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $42,350 a year ($20.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,310 of these jobs there. That is 17% below the $50,770 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,650 and $46,000; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,532 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in San Luis Obispo, CA at a glance

Median salary

$42,350$20.36 per hour · $3,529 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,650$16.66/hr
25th percentile$36,510$17.55/hr
75th percentile$44,070$21.19/hr
90th percentile$46,000$22.12/hr
Jobs in this metro3,310Location quotient 1.09 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here17% belowAll-jobs median $50,770
Against Californiaabout the same asStatewide median $42,280
Against the U.S.36% aboveNational median $31,200

Run the numbers on your own pay

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 San Luis Obispo, CA after taxes

$42,350
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$42,350
Net 84%
Fed 7%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,532After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,961Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,367Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,902 / yr
California state income tax$677 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,240 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in San Luis Obispo, CA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$16.66/hr$2,888$34,650$29,653
25th percentile$17.55/hr$3,043$36,510$31,073
MedianMedian$20.36/hr$3,529$42,350$35,532
75th percentile$21.19/hr$3,673$44,070$36,845
90th percentile$22.12/hr$3,833$46,000$38,318

Is $42,350 a good salary in San Luis Obispo, CA?

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$97,446Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)108.68.6% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.5%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 San Luis Obispo, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area was $42,350 in May 2025, about $3,529 a month or $20.36 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $42,280, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA was $20.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.66 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.12.

How many fast food or counter workers work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

BLS estimated 3,310 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 27.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.09 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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA run from $34,650 at the 10th percentile to $36,510 at the 25th, $44,070 at the 75th, and $46,000 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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

On a median gross salary of $42,350, an estimated $35,532 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,367 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,818 (an effective rate of 16.1%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

On the median annual salary of $42,350, gross monthly income is $3,529. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,961 per month (or $1,367 every two weeks).

Is $42,350 a good salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

At $42,350, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 43.5% of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA median household income ($97,446). It is 17% below the $50,770 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.6, so prices here run 8.6% above the U.S. average.