Topeka, KS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Topeka, KS?

In the Topeka, KS metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $27,810 a year ($13.37 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,260 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $49,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,670 and $34,890; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,729 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Topeka, KS at a glance

Median salary

$27,810$13.37 per hour · $2,318 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,670$10.90/hr
25th percentile$24,030$11.55/hr
75th percentile$29,270$14.07/hr
90th percentile$34,890$16.77/hr
Jobs in this metro3,260Location quotient 1.14 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $49,540
Against Kansas1% aboveStatewide median $27,580
Against the U.S.11% 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 Topeka, KS after taxes

$27,810
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,810
Net 85%
Fed 4%
KS 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,729After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,977Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$913Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,171 / yr
Kansas state income tax$782 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,127 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Topeka, KS, hourly and yearly

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

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Topeka, KS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KS)
10th percentile$10.90/hr$1,889$22,670$19,764
25th percentile$11.55/hr$2,003$24,030$20,813
MedianMedian$13.37/hr$2,318$27,810$23,729
75th percentile$14.07/hr$2,439$29,270$24,840
90th percentile$16.77/hr$2,908$34,890$29,064

Is $27,810 a good salary in Topeka, KS?

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$69,888Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.811.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.8%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 Topeka, KS: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Topeka, KS?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Topeka, KS metro area was $27,810 in May 2025, about $2,318 a month or $13.37 an hour. Statewide, the Kansas median for this job is $27,580, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Topeka, KS?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Topeka, KS was $13.37 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.90 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.77.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Topeka, KS?

BLS estimated 3,260 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 28.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.14 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 Topeka, KS?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Topeka, KS run from $22,670 at the 10th percentile to $24,030 at the 25th, $29,270 at the 75th, and $34,890 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 Topeka, KS?

On a median gross salary of $27,810, an estimated $23,729 lands in net take-home pay per year ($913 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,081 (an effective rate of 14.7%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Topeka, KS?

On the median annual salary of $27,810, gross monthly income is $2,318. After federal, FICA, and Kansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,977 per month (or $913 every two weeks).

Is $27,810 a good salary in Topeka, KS?

At $27,810, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 39.8% of the Topeka, KS median household income ($69,888). It is 44% below the $49,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.