Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Maryland
The median for fast food and counter workers in Maryland is $33,660 a year, somewhat above the national $31,200 (+8%); the state ranks 15th of 51 states by median. That is 43% less than the median across all occupations in Maryland ($59,510). Among neighbouring states, District of Columbia pays more (up to $37,430 in District of Columbia) and Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia pay less (down to $26,070 in West Virginia). Maryland employs 49,380 fast food and counter workers, 17.9 per 1,000 jobs, the 25th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.72 means it is less common in Maryland than nationally.
Maryland vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.04 | $16.18 | $17.12 | $17.98 | $16.45 | 49,380 | 17.87 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,280 | $33,660 | $35,600 | $37,390 | $34,210 | ||||
| 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
- 15th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 25th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.72
- Jobs per 1,000
- 17.87
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Maryland'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 Maryland
6 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Maryland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $16.64 | $34,600 | $30,460 | $42,490 | 60,560 | 19.31 | 0.78 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $15.91 | $33,090 | $31,200 | $36,150 | 21,090 | 15.55 | 0.63 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $15.50 | $32,240 | $31,200 | $36,260 | 1,770 | 25.04 | 1.01 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $15.49 | $32,220 | $23,790 | $36,920 | 69,080 | 23.84 | 0.96 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $15.00 | $31,200 | $28,640 | $36,420 | 1,810 | 16.92 | 0.68 |
| Salisbury, MD | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $34,770 | 1,590 | 29.50 | 1.19 |
| Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $15.36 | $31,960 | $31,200 | $37,800 | 2,880 | 25.48 | 1.03 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $16.18 | $33,660 | 49,380 | 0.72 |
| District of Columbia | $18.00 | $37,430 | 5,500 | 0.32 |
| Delaware | $15.05 | $31,300 | 13,310 | 1.11 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.74 | $28,570 | 142,220 | 0.95 |
| 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 Maryland 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 Maryland 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.