Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Seattle-Tacoma, WA?

In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $39,150 a year ($18.82 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 49,190 of these jobs there. That is 46% below the $72,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,580 and $50,980; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,637 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Seattle-Tacoma, WA at a glance

Median salary

$39,150$18.82 per hour · $3,263 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,580$17.11/hr
25th percentile$36,690$17.64/hr
75th percentile$45,250$21.75/hr
90th percentile$50,980$24.51/hr
Jobs in this metro49,190Location quotient 0.95 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here46% belowAll-jobs median $72,610
Against Washington4% aboveStatewide median $37,710
Against the U.S.25% 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 Seattle-Tacoma, WA after taxes

$39,150
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$39,150
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,637After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,803Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,294Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,518 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,995 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Seattle-Tacoma, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$17.11/hr$2,965$35,580$30,769
25th percentile$17.64/hr$3,058$36,690$31,660
MedianMedian$18.82/hr$3,263$39,150$33,637
75th percentile$21.75/hr$3,771$45,250$38,538
90th percentile$24.51/hr$4,248$50,980$43,142

Is $39,150 a good salary in Seattle-Tacoma, 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$115,177Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)111.111.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household34%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 Seattle-Tacoma, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area was $39,150 in May 2025, about $3,263 a month or $18.82 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $37,710, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA was $18.82 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.11 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.51.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

BLS estimated 49,190 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 23.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.95 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA run from $35,580 at the 10th percentile to $36,690 at the 25th, $45,250 at the 75th, and $50,980 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

On a median gross salary of $39,150, an estimated $33,637 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,294 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,513 (an effective rate of 14.1%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

On the median annual salary of $39,150, gross monthly income is $3,263. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,803 per month (or $1,294 every two weeks).

Is $39,150 a good salary in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

At $39,150, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 34% of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA median household income ($115,177). It is 46% below the $72,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 111.1, so prices here run 11.1% above the U.S. average.