Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Kentucky
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Kentucky have a median of $27,130 a year, below the national $31,200 (−13%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. That is 42% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee pay more (up to $33,910 in Illinois) and West Virginia pays less (down to $26,070 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 41,860 fast food and counter workers, 20.9 per 1,000 jobs, the 29th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.84 is close to the national share.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $10.38 | $10.96 | $13.04 | $14.27 | $16.55 | $12.93 | 41,860 | 20.92 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $21,590 | $22,800 | $27,130 | $29,680 | $34,420 | $26,890 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 29th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.84
- Jobs per 1,000
- 20.92
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky publish a row for fast food and counter workers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $14.29 | $29,720 | $23,590 | $35,240 | 30,950 | 28.11 | 1.13 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $13.79 | $28,690 | $22,670 | $35,470 | 15,540 | 22.68 | 0.92 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $13.46 | $27,990 | $22,170 | $34,370 | 5,500 | 19.16 | 0.77 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $13.30 | $27,650 | $21,830 | $33,770 | 2,540 | 30.90 | 1.25 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $13.29 | $27,640 | $21,810 | $32,930 | 1,160 | 23.06 | 0.93 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $13.11 | $27,260 | $21,680 | $30,680 | 1,330 | 25.85 | 1.04 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $12.97 | $26,990 | $21,670 | $34,360 | 4,000 | 38.75 | 1.56 |
| Owensboro, KY | $12.86 | $26,750 | $21,830 | $33,710 | 1,080 | 21.92 | 0.88 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $11.30 | $23,500 | $21,470 | $32,610 | 2,590 | 18.40 | 0.74 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $11.28 | $23,450 | $20,900 | $28,830 | 2,820 | 21.88 | 0.88 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $11.09 | $23,070 | $20,800 | $28,740 | 2,010 | 21.84 | 0.88 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $10.93 | $22,740 | $21,000 | $29,260 | 3,720 | 21.54 | 0.87 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $10.73 | $22,320 | $18,180 | $28,300 | 3,770 | 21.89 | 0.88 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $13.04 | $27,130 | 41,860 | 0.84 |
| Illinois | $16.30 | $33,910 | 127,590 | 0.84 |
| Indiana | $13.84 | $28,790 | 97,290 | 1.23 |
| Missouri | $14.61 | $30,390 | 29,360 | 0.40 |
| Ohio | $13.67 | $28,430 | 163,560 | 1.19 |
| Tennessee | $13.21 | $27,470 | 90,690 | 1.12 |
| Virginia | $14.48 | $30,110 | 104,460 | 1.03 |
| West Virginia | $12.54 | $26,070 | 6,240 | 0.36 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (every state ranked) and the Kentucky wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kentucky estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.