35
Fast Food and Counter Workers is a notable career in the 35 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Fast Food and Counter Workers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 35-3023 |
| title | Fast Food and Counter Workers |
| onet code | 35-3023.00 |
| description | Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages. |
| job zone | 1 |
| major group | 35 |
| tot emp | 3,780,930 |
| a mean | 31,350 |
| a median | 30,480 |
| a pct10 | 22,620 |
| a pct25 | 27,150 |
| a pct75 | 35,440 |
| a pct90 | 38,800 |
| h mean | 15 |
| h median | 14 |
The day-to-day work of a fast food and counter workers typically centers on communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Service Orientation, Active Listening, and Social Perceptiveness. Across the top 4 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.12 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working fast food and counter workers, the most common entry qualification is a Less than a High School Diploma (53.6%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $38,240 and lowest in Mississippi at $22,280 — a 1.7× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, California, Washington, Colorado, New York) average $36,556. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $38,240 | $40,870 | $36,350 | $45,690 | 7,390 |
| California | $37,010 | $39,450 | $34,530 | $46,890 | 438,950 |
| Washington | $36,820 | $39,150 | $34,420 | $46,320 | 94,830 |
| Colorado | $35,440 | $36,000 | $30,260 | $42,600 | 78,720 |
| New York | $35,270 | $36,300 | $31,410 | $42,500 | 183,810 |
| Massachusetts | $35,060 | $35,970 | $31,320 | $42,840 | 81,770 |
| Vermont | $34,540 | $37,640 | $30,120 | $48,480 | 5,800 |
| Alaska | $34,430 | $32,640 | $24,400 | $38,530 | 5,060 |
| Oregon | $34,430 | $35,090 | $30,300 | $42,720 | 58,150 |
| Maine | $34,360 | $35,360 | $30,240 | $41,070 | 16,520 |
| Connecticut | $33,980 | $34,960 | $32,640 | $37,380 | 32,180 |
| New Jersey | $33,290 | $34,160 | $31,470 | $38,160 | 86,980 |
| Arizona | $33,060 | $33,950 | $30,270 | $37,960 | 86,640 |
| Minnesota | $31,950 | $32,720 | $27,890 | $37,450 | 59,220 |
| Illinois | $31,900 | $32,900 | $29,120 | $36,820 | 139,090 |
| Maryland | $31,200 | $33,400 | $31,200 | $36,750 | 48,270 |
| Hawaii | $30,860 | $33,950 | $29,120 | $43,790 | 25,850 |
| Rhode Island | $30,460 | $32,630 | $29,120 | $36,270 | 12,650 |
| New Hampshire | $30,320 | $30,800 | $21,210 | $37,480 | 12,550 |
| Delaware | $30,210 | $31,800 | $27,560 | $36,800 | 13,800 |
| North Dakota | $30,010 | $30,150 | $22,270 | $35,920 | 11,580 |
| South Dakota | $29,480 | $30,390 | $26,570 | $36,170 | 14,420 |
| Nebraska | $29,420 | $30,300 | $24,960 | $35,440 | 28,360 |
| Missouri | $29,310 | $30,810 | $26,860 | $36,360 | 32,710 |
| Montana | $29,280 | $29,780 | $22,080 | $36,550 | 15,940 |
| Nevada | $29,180 | $30,870 | $24,270 | $38,970 | 44,110 |
| Virginia | $29,060 | $30,890 | $26,640 | $36,420 | 103,390 |
| Michigan | $28,870 | $29,410 | $23,210 | $35,480 | 114,880 |
| North Carolina | $28,760 | $29,030 | $21,320 | $36,580 | 85,120 |
| Utah | $28,670 | $29,030 | $21,950 | $36,220 | 50,980 |
| New Mexico | $28,650 | $30,130 | $26,270 | $36,300 | 23,990 |
| Wisconsin | $28,500 | $28,410 | $21,930 | $35,420 | 60,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,490 | $28,690 | $21,840 | $35,950 | 131,650 |
| Idaho | $28,450 | $27,630 | $21,030 | $34,710 | 24,440 |
| Iowa | $28,400 | $28,310 | $21,970 | $35,260 | 37,060 |
| Indiana | $28,290 | $28,200 | $22,090 | $35,270 | 101,500 |
| Wyoming | $28,200 | $27,190 | $18,240 | $34,740 | 6,840 |
| Ohio | $28,100 | $28,580 | $23,050 | $34,540 | 167,650 |
| Florida | $27,990 | $29,600 | $25,890 | $35,640 | 241,010 |
| Tennessee | $27,840 | $27,790 | $21,850 | $34,540 | 84,170 |
| Kentucky | $27,170 | $26,600 | $21,380 | $34,080 | 41,890 |
| Kansas | $27,000 | $26,800 | $21,050 | $34,240 | 45,420 |
| Texas | $27,000 | $26,850 | $20,920 | $35,140 | 410,760 |
| South Carolina | $26,830 | $26,730 | $21,540 | $34,490 | 63,380 |
| Arkansas | $26,740 | $27,010 | $23,420 | $31,060 | 36,150 |
| Georgia | $26,310 | $26,920 | $21,300 | $35,660 | 151,240 |
| West Virginia | $24,960 | $27,130 | $19,240 | $35,330 | 7,280 |
| Oklahoma | $23,590 | $25,090 | $18,790 | $32,000 | 53,380 |
| Alabama | $23,490 | $25,450 | $19,230 | $34,710 | 37,500 |
| Louisiana | $23,110 | $25,360 | $17,830 | $34,980 | 34,840 |
| Mississippi | $22,280 | $23,330 | $17,910 | $28,670 | 31,010 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for fast food and counter workers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Bakery Associate or Bistro Team Member frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Fast Food and Counter Workers compares to others in the 35 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Fast Food and Counter Workers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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