Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Massachusetts
The median for fast food and counter workers in Massachusetts is $35,850 a year, somewhat above the national $31,200 (+15%); the state ranks 6th of 51 states by median. That is 44% less than the median across all occupations in Massachusetts ($63,590). Among neighbouring states, Vermont pays more (up to $36,030 in Vermont) and Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire and Rhode Island pay less (down to $31,490 in Rhode Island). Massachusetts employs 85,810 fast food and counter workers, 23.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 16th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
Massachusetts vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $15.04 | $16.23 | $17.24 | $17.78 | $18.61 | $17.25 | 85,810 | 23.59 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $31,290 | $33,770 | $35,850 | $36,980 | $38,700 | $35,880 | ||||
| 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
- 6th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 16th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 23.59
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts
7 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Massachusetts 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $17.45 | $36,290 | $31,520 | $39,440 | 60,130 | 22.24 | 0.90 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $17.35 | $36,100 | $31,770 | $42,060 | 2,950 | 31.33 | 1.26 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $16.67 | $34,680 | $31,200 | $37,830 | 1,470 | 25.85 | 1.04 |
| Worcester, MA | $16.64 | $34,610 | $31,200 | $38,010 | 8,800 | 25.15 | 1.01 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $16.52 | $34,350 | $31,200 | $38,350 | 2,080 | 31.73 | 1.28 |
| Springfield, MA | $16.41 | $34,130 | $31,200 | $37,280 | 5,660 | 28.10 | 1.13 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $16.20 | $33,700 | $31,200 | $36,700 | 21,530 | 30.15 | 1.22 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $17.59 | $36,580 | $31,580 | $44,440 | 960 | 23.30 | 0.94 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $17.24 | $35,850 | 85,810 | 0.95 |
| Connecticut | $17.01 | $35,380 | 35,720 | 0.85 |
| New Hampshire | $15.19 | $31,590 | 14,540 | 0.86 |
| New York | $16.95 | $35,250 | 168,620 | 0.70 |
| Rhode Island | $15.14 | $31,490 | 13,310 | 1.07 |
| Vermont | $17.32 | $36,030 | 6,830 | 0.91 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (every state ranked) and the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.