SOC 35-3023 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Fast Food and Counter Workers — Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA · 10 metro areas compared
In Mount Vernon, WA the median wage for Fast Food and Counter Workers is $36,890 a year, which is 18.2% higher than the national figure of $31,200.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +6.1%
- Openings per year
- 904,300
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Mount Vernon, WA the median wage for Fast Food and Counter Workers is $36,890 a year, which is 18.2% higher than the national figure of $31,200. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $36,190 and $41,290. The lowest tenth earn under $35,610, while the highest tenth earn more than $45,540.
The area has 1,580 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 30.1 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Seattle records the highest median at $39,150. Of the 250 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 247th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,610 | +14.1% |
| 25th | $36,190 | +16.0% |
| Median (50th) | $36,890 | +18.2% |
| 75th | $41,290 | +32.3% |
| 90th | $45,540 | +46.0% |
| Mean | $39,230 | +25.7% |
Other metro areas in Washington
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle | $39,150 | 49,190 | |
| 2 | Bremerton | $37,080 | 3,180 | |
| 3 | Bellingham | $37,030 | 2,830 | |
| 4 | Wenatchee | $36,450 | 1,690 | |
| 5 | Kennewick | $36,410 | 4,120 | |
| 6 | Olympia | $36,110 | 3,910 | |
| 7 | Longview | $36,020 | 1,440 | |
| 8 | Yakima | $35,830 | 3,280 | |
| 9 | Spokane | $35,780 | 7,870 | |
| 10 | Walla Walla | $35,020 | 800 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Mount Vernon run 2.4% above the national average, so the median of $36,890 buys what $36,025 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 15.5% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$36,890as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$36,025US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $36,890 a year, 18.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,610 to $45,540 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,580 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Seattle, at $39,150.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Mount Vernon, WA?
The median annual wage is $36,890, or $17.74 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $31,200, so pay in Mount Vernon, WA is 18.2% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Mount Vernon, WA earns more than $45,540 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,610 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Seattle, at $39,150 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,580 jobs in this occupation in Mount Vernon, WA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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