Quick answer
Fast Food and Counter Workers in California earned a median of $42,280 a year ($20.33 an hour) in May 2025, 36% above the national median of $31,200; 449,840 were employed there, ranking #1 of 54 states and territories by median pay, per BLS OEWS.
Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
| Measure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $42,280 | $31,200 |
| Mean annual wage | $41,680 | $32,150 |
| Median hourly wage | $20.33 | $15.00 |
| 10th percentile | $35,530 | $22,840 |
| 25th percentile | $36,790 | $27,700 |
| 75th percentile | $44,970 | $36,070 |
| 90th percentile | $47,950 | $42,650 |
| Employment | 449,840 | 3,854,050 |
| Jobs per 1,000 | 24.698 | — |
| Location quotient | 1.00 | 1.00 |
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.